Finally got a water test kit. An actual legit one too. Heres my readings, I have no idea what is the ideal specs for the water, but hopefully you guys can give me your .02
In the tank are 3 Oscars, 2 red belly pirahnas (are gonna go this weekend), Giraffe cichlid, some albino cichlid. Mind you I still have a green terror and a oscar in my nursery tank healing their nipped fins, who actually are doing awesome and are healing fast.


7.6 PH
0 ppm Ammonia
.25 Nitrite
40ppm Nitrate



Fish seem to be doing fine, everything is active and well and everthing is eating fine. Mind you 24 hours ago I did a complete clean up in the tank, and new filter. Added carbon and alottttttt of filter fiber/cottor(or w/e it is). Let me know if i'm good or if i'm doomed. If i'm doomed what can I do to make things good? Oh and water is clear as crystal. btw I use Sand and have a few rocks in the tank (not sure if that makes a difference?)

Okay, apart from your nitrite being a tad too high, you're not too bad. It could possibly be due you changing some of your filter material that your nitrite is spiking slightly. You've got a good nitrate reading which means your biological filter is working, I think a water change is in order to bring those down though.

How big is your tank? You have got quite a lot of fish

dont change all your filter stuff at once

Like the boss said, your nitrite reading is a little higher than is wanted but could be from the reasons he mentioned. Ideal readings would be Ammonia at 0, Nitrite at 0, and a small reading on Nitrates. If you have a nitrate reading you bio filter is working...but do agree with the boss...do a waterchange which will bring the nitrate down and the nitrite as well.

Nitrate reading of 40 is about the max you want to have so a water change will drop this number.

Like mentioned above for future reference you shouldn't change all your filter material at the same time...do one pad one week and the other the next and so on...keeps you from harming the bio colony. Also almost everyone on here agrees that you do not need carbon in your filter (unless its for a specific reason I missed)...actually can do more harm than good in most cases.

Anyone correct me if i'm wrong please

speaking of replacing scrubbies, do they ever need to be replaced even if they dont fall apart? my 404 has been running since 05 with the stock scrubbies, i cleaned them of course. they just look yellow and smell like fish lol. fish smell is a good thing!

i have some very old sponge i still use. i think all the filter media can be reused if you take care of it.

I agree. Bio wheels seem to have the longest life of any biological filtration media. Bio-wheel's performance is superb.

Take out the carbon and replace with bio media. You will only need carbon if you want to remove some meds from the tank

As for sponges you will only need to replace them if they start to lose their shape (or fall apart)

Ugh I swear i'm gonna stragle the LFS people. I keep taking advise from these clowns, and usually end up with negative effects. I will take the carbon out though, thank for the info! remember I'm really new at this aqarium stuff, you guys are helping me like you wouldn't beleive!

Stick around hun, and ignore the LFS... you'll soon know a ton!

08rollaS wrote:

stay cool.... these people needs their job and their objective is to sell more...
it is up to us what we need....since you are new...you have to pay the price
of learning...that is buying things that are not needed but aquarium
related...

Nickisue wrote:


best advice i have read yet