# MY 1ST WATER TEST IN 5 YEARS!



## NeXuS (Aug 16, 2006)

I've been keeping Piranhas for about 5 years now last time i had it tested it all check out ok except ph it was a little high. i finally got me a master test kit it came in the mail today so i gave it a shot from what the bok thingy said every thing checked out ok.

here are the numbers PH- 7.2-7.6 id say 7.3 from what it looked like
AMMONIA- 0
N03- 40
N02-0

i dont know whats good for no3 no2 and ammonia it said should be 0 all the time. so can i get some in put on my water. i ant going to mess with ph ill keep it where it is its better to be a bit high than having to mess with it all the time it bad for the fish is what i read up on around here. so some input would be appreciated. also is it ok if i check it once a week?

P.s i also got a 25ft python i love it glad for no more buckets


----------



## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

How often do you change your water? The nitrates might be a bit high, but it otherwise seems good.


----------



## NeXuS (Aug 16, 2006)

once or twice a week usually 25% change


----------



## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

That doesn't seem like a bad water change regimen.

Maybe just throw in some duckweed or something if you feel like it.


----------



## NeXuS (Aug 16, 2006)

now that i don't have to bucket out 60 gallons of water i can do 50% weekly


----------



## ___ (Feb 19, 2006)

What is duckweed.....what does it do for your Ps


----------



## ChilDawg (Apr 30, 2006)

Duckweed is a nitrate sponge of a plant.


----------



## CLUSTER ONE (Aug 2, 2006)

google it and you will probably recognise it

its a pond plant alsover the world i think 
it has little leaves andlong roots (per its portion) the whole thing only measures up to around 2inches


----------



## ___ (Feb 19, 2006)

dont like the look of it


----------



## ICEE (Feb 3, 2007)

lucky you nexus, Id suggest 2 40% every 7 days


----------



## NeXuS (Aug 16, 2006)

is it my no3 that is bad i read a thingy it said no2 should be 0 in an established thank


----------



## Coldfire (Aug 20, 2003)

Your water parameters look fine to me. Sounds like you are doing everything correct. Weekly water changes, and suffient filtration. Once the tank is fully cycled, and established it should run its self with the use of proper water changes. If you have not checked the water parameters in five years, and did so with those resoluts, I would test about once a month just to make sure they continue at those levels.


----------



## NeXuS (Aug 16, 2006)

will do


----------



## Leasure1 (Jul 24, 2006)

40ppm nitrates is okay.....but they should be lower........I would do atleast a 50% water chang and gravel vac once a week......plus maybe a 30% water change no gravel vac mid-week. Try to keep your nitrates below 20ppm

And throw that damn 9" red in with the others in the big tank.....they will be fine!!!!


----------



## NeXuS (Aug 16, 2006)

i've been thinking of throwin him in all he does is sit in his corner and do nothing


----------



## Coldfire (Aug 20, 2003)

If he sits around all day, then mix it up a bit and add him to the larger tank. Keep an eye on him, and see if that changes his behavior any. If he starts bullying any of the fish, you can always remove him.


----------



## NeXuS (Aug 16, 2006)

yeah i think Saturday is moving day after i clean the xp3 and cascade for the 1st time and do a water change. do i take out all of the fish and put them in the same bucket? and the one i am moving in another? then add him in first then the others as fast as i can? chances are he will be alpha since he is the biggest but that could be different cuz i think right now the smallest one i have is the boss which i think is amazing he is always the first one to eat and he is the smallest he just must have slow growing genes or something but i think Saturday is the day


----------



## Dizzy Dawg (May 1, 2007)

When your nitrate gets high, it means it is time for a water change

40ppm is still not too bad

try testing it again the day after a water change and see what you get


----------



## NeXuS (Aug 16, 2006)

Dizzy Dawg said:


> When your nitrate gets high, it means it is time for a water change
> 
> 40ppm is still not too bad
> 
> try testing it again the day after a water change and see what you get


will do Saturday is my clean day


----------



## Leasure1 (Jul 24, 2006)

add that big red yet??


----------



## NeXuS (Aug 16, 2006)

didn't get time to i had alot of sh*T going on lately i only managed to get a 20% water change in this week i've been so busy but this weekend ill have time if nothing pops up like last week. my darn pleco makes me frustrated he does a stand up job keeping the tank clean but it sh*ts everywhere i get my sand all nice and clean then the next 3 days pleco shi*t all over. i also added some salt and melafix to the tank my 9" is in he hasn't been him self he hasn't touched his food in 2 weeks and he had a case of cloudy eye so ive been treating him i wont add him in until he eats again then i know he healthy to put in.


----------



## Coldfire (Aug 20, 2003)

NeXuS said:


> didn't get time to i had alot of sh*T going on lately i only managed to get a 20% water change in this week i've been so busy but this weekend ill have time if nothing pops up like last week. my darn pleco makes me frustrated *he does a stand up job keeping the tank clean but it sh*ts everywhere* i get my sand all nice and clean then the next 3 days pleco shi*t all over. i also added some salt and melafix to the tank my 9" is in he hasn't been him self he hasn't touched his food in 2 weeks and he had a case of cloudy eye so ive been treating him i wont add him in until he eats again then i know he healthy to put in.


Unfortunately, that is what larger pleco do. They do clean, but they also leave a mess everywhere they go in the tank.


----------

