i bought the API freshwater kit... and after doing the test, i found this as of today 3/06,2010

ammonia 0.50ppm
nitrate 20ppm
nitrite 1.0ppm
ph 7.6

now my questions is that, in my setup i have a driftwood on my tank and seems that my Ph wont go down for like 7.0 atleast. also how do i make this go down without buying more chemicals just to make the ph down. also are the nitrate and nitrite levels, are they fine? i cant make my nitrite to go 0 ppm... its like the same problem with the other guys that having problem with nitrite and nitrate that i cant seem to make it low as possible. any word of advice??... FYi i have a HOB filter from tetra fin 30-60gallon set up 350GPH and Fluval 205 canister with media clearmax, carbon, biomax,and sponges

thanks

OK. You need to be doing larger more frequent water changes.

You readings need to be, 0 Ammonia
0 Nitrite
and nitrate below 40 ppm

Your PH is exactly the same as mine. Any PH between 6 and 8 is fine as long as it is stable. DO NOT try to adjust your PH unless you know exactly what you are doing.

How long has your tank been set up?
What fish do you have?
And what is your tank size?

How long has your tank been set up?
What fish do you have?
And what is your tank size?

Ok.

its a 55 gallon tank set up and, it been up and running fairly 4 weeks now. i did a fishless cycle when it was brand new that i put APi's stress Zyme and stress coat and i kept going to a local fish store to have my water tested every threedays, on those 2 weeks, all my chemistry was perfect 0 ammonia, 0 nitrate, 0 nitrite at that time and i was running my HOB filter on it. now, i have two oscars, they are about 3-5 inches big, then 3 days later fluval 205 canister came in.. everything is set up properly.

so since you said my ph 7.6 is ok. then i guess i dont have to worry about it. done with that.. now yesterday i just did a 30% percent water change do you think i should do it again tommorow like a big 75% clean change or i should wait for another 2-3 days or should i jsut wait for my medias to settle down?

OK, If your water readings are 0 ammonia, 0 Nitrite, and 0 Nitrate, then your tank is not cycled. You need to have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and a nitrate reading of less than 40 ppm.

The best advice I can give you is to get an API Water test kit (Liquid type not strips)

And read the section on cycling!
www.oscarfishlover.com/helpful-articles/cycling-an-aquarium

point of clarification: what have you done with the filtering system?
did you clean them? with tap water ? or with tank water?

improper cleaning of filtration could compromised good bacteria in the system.
we need your feedback to know what is happening in your tank....

Nickisue wrote:



well liek i mentioned before, when my tank was brand new my chemistry was perfect zero now that, i have my two oscars, those are my latest readings at the first post of this thread. and also like i mentioned i already about the API water kit and those are the results i have so what do you guys think...

All 0's isn't perfect.
That means uncycled you need 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and a nitrate reading between 5 ppm and 40 ppm

PAUL wrote:



yeah i cleaned the filters with tank water. not tap. i did some research already before i got my oscars in the articles that you guys posted. so im pretty much aware of cleaning my tank in the proper way.. i was just wondering that, why is it that my nitrite is like around 1.0ppm but ammonia are 0.50 and nitrate are 20ppm.. is it because my fluval has not established proper bacteria?... also the fluval set up has these medias

fluval clearmax
fluval carbon
fluval biomax with some sponges in it

my oscars, they look ok.. they always swim around the water is clear but the chemistry is not quite right any advice

Your water was never perfect. A properly cycled tank has nitrates in it. If you read hot to cycle a tank it takes at least 6 weeks. Bottom line your tank will soon be overstocked and you are already under filtered for O's. Be very very careful doing a water change as large as 75% in fact I wouldnt do it at all. Do a 40% change for a week, and 20% EVERYDAY. You have a unfiltered tank which means you must remove the toxins manually aka water changes. Be sure to treat the water with 20ml of stress coat after you have removed the water. Turn off your filter before you start refilling. Also I would add 20ml of stress zyme each water change. It may or may not help begin the cycle process but it wont hurt.

You really need to consider getting a bigger tank, (100+ Gallons) and at least a fluval 405 possibly even a FX5. This isnt something you can really wait because as I have said and everyone will agree it takes 6 weeks to cycle a tank, some would argue it takes even longer.

but this latest data will be helpful.. not yet perfect but at least
you are almost there.

20ppm nitrate shows your filter is already working.... now, you must check
the tap water for ammonia and nitrite.... if it does has, then you can
adjust water change accordingly....

PAUL wrote:


Well said - a lot of ppl forget to test their tap water and to keep in mind how much the levels in tap water fluctuate

Paul

eastsidahboy wrote:

is it because my fluval has not established proper bacteria?... also the fluval set up has these medias

fluval clearmax
fluval carbon
fluval biomax with some sponges in it



Yeas if you just got the pump and started running it...Brand new? no bacteria then