# My water Param...



## ju5tin95 (Nov 25, 2008)

12/21/08 (when I first set up tank w/ Tetra's Safe Start)

Nitrate 20 
Ammonia 0 
Nitrite 0.25 
Ph 7.6
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1/2/09 (started using Flourish Excel & changed out carbon for ammonia remover in AC110)

Nitrate 0
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0.50
Ph 6.5
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so just wondering what are ideal parameters so I have something to go off by & and any other input would be great =)


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## Retaks (Apr 6, 2008)

I keep mine at:

20 NitrAtes
0 NitrItes
0 Ammonia
6.8 Ph (My Ph from the tap fluxuates between 6.2 and 7.0 so i determine my water changes from what the Ph from the tap is that day)


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## ju5tin95 (Nov 25, 2008)

sorry my Nitrites are at 0.50


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## Retaks (Apr 6, 2008)

OK well first get rid of the ammonia remover. It is not needed. I do not run carbon unless im removing meds. the best way to cycle your tank is a fishless cycle and requires you buying liquid ammonia from a store and im really not too farmiliar with that way so ill let someone else explain it. I just got a bunch of feeders and put them in the tank and fed them for a month and a half to cycle the tank. I checked the water params every day and when the ammonia got to .75 or the NitrItes got to 1 i did a small water change to keep the fish alive. After the NitrItes and Ammonia stayed at 0 for a week and teh NitrAtes were between 10-30 the tank is cycled and i got rid of the feeders and put my other fish in there. How many feeders i used was determined on how big/how many fish i put in the tank and what size tank/filter.


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

the nitrites and ammonia doesnt look good. Keep an eye out for the rising nitrites, that is whats bad for the fish.


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## ju5tin95 (Nov 25, 2008)

maknwar said:


> the nitrites and ammonia doesnt look good. Keep an eye out for the rising nitrites, that is whats bad for the fish.


Ok i will watch them, what do I do if they continue to rise? I have ammo lock on hand, and am using ammonia absorber in the ac110. How often should I do a water change and by how much??


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

The ammo lock and other chemicals are only needed if they get really high. Water changes can decrease both the ammonia and nitrites, which is the best way. Add aquarium salt for the nitrites, that will help with brown blood disease. Read this about nitrite poisoning. Wouldnt worry too much, as the levels are low. just test them every other day or so.


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## ju5tin95 (Nov 25, 2008)

ok cool thanks bro, oh i have alot of plants now so no salt right?? so how else would I take care of the Nitrites?


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

you can add salt, but temporarily. Fish are more important than the plants. The low light plants you have are hardy, dont worry about the salt hurting them.


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## ju5tin95 (Nov 25, 2008)

maknwar said:


> you can add salt, but temporarily. Fish are more important than the plants. The low light plants you have are hardy, dont worry about the salt hurting them.


very true... ok i have a 55 so how much salt?


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

add half of a teaspoon of salt to your tank. That is enough to help your fish and it wont kill your plants.


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

Even a low amount of salt will damage those plants...I wouldn't add any salt unless your fish are showing signs of stress. If that is the case, then you might as well pull the plants and put them somewhere else because they will die. Do small partial water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrite at tolerable levels.

A half teaspoon won't do much of anything for the fish...


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## ju5tin95 (Nov 25, 2008)

maknwar said:


> add half of a teaspoon of salt to your tank. That is enough to help your fish and it wont kill your plants.


hey bro, just did a 20% water change and pre dissolving salt right now, i really appreciate all your help!! how soon should I do another test?


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

ju5tin95 said:


> add half of a teaspoon of salt to your tank. That is enough to help your fish and it wont kill your plants.


hey bro, just did a 20% water change and pre dissolving salt right now, i really appreciate all your help!! how soon should I do another test?
[/quote]

Test now to see how much they lowered...then test at least every day before and after a partial water change. If the levels are acceptable, do a smaller water change or wait another day.


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## ju5tin95 (Nov 25, 2008)

BioTeAcH said:


> add half of a teaspoon of salt to your tank. That is enough to help your fish and it wont kill your plants.


hey bro, just did a 20% water change and pre dissolving salt right now, i really appreciate all your help!! how soon should I do another test?
[/quote]

Test now to see how much they lowered...then test at least every day before and after a partial water change. If the levels are acceptable, do a smaller water change or wait another day.
[/quote]

ahhh I just added the salt... what should i do? ill do a test right now..


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

If you added just 1/2 teaspoon to the whole tank, then you should be okay with the plants.


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

BioTeAcH said:


> Even a low amount of salt will damage those plants...I wouldn't add any salt unless your fish are showing signs of stress. If that is the case, then you might as well pull the plants and put them somewhere else because they will die. Do small partial water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrite at tolerable levels.
> 
> A half teaspoon won't do much of anything for the fish...


Now, I have read about how much to add from different sources. Many say that 1 teaspoon in 300 gallons is enough for nitrite poisoning.


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

maknwar said:


> Even a low amount of salt will damage those plants...I wouldn't add any salt unless your fish are showing signs of stress. If that is the case, then you might as well pull the plants and put them somewhere else because they will die. Do small partial water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrite at tolerable levels.
> 
> A half teaspoon won't do much of anything for the fish...


Now, I have read about how much to add from different sources. Many say that 1 teaspoon in 300 gallons is enough for nitrite poisoning.
[/quote]

Good to know!









Other than formulas for ponds, all I've seen is the generic X-teaspoons per X-gallons depending on the product.


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## ju5tin95 (Nov 25, 2008)

BioTeAcH said:


> Even a low amount of salt will damage those plants...I wouldn't add any salt unless your fish are showing signs of stress. If that is the case, then you might as well pull the plants and put them somewhere else because they will die. Do small partial water changes to keep the ammonia and nitrite at tolerable levels.
> 
> A half teaspoon won't do much of anything for the fish...


Now, I have read about how much to add from different sources. Many say that 1 teaspoon in 300 gallons is enough for nitrite poisoning.
[/quote]

Good to know!









Other than formulas for ponds, all I've seen is the generic X-teaspoons per X-gallons depending on the product.
[/quote]

wow that is good to know!! if param arent at desirable levels how many times can I do a water change per day? is there a general rule?


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## Piranha Guru (Nov 24, 2005)

ju5tin95 said:


> wow that is good to know!! if param arent at desirable levels how many times can I do a water change per day? is there a general rule?


Not really...you should get a feel for how much you need to take out based on how high the levels are so you don't have to do a bunch of water changes in a day. Having plants should help too. I usually like to startup a tank with either a lot of plants and/or a filter with active biomedia...sometimes active substrate too!


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## maknwar (Jul 16, 2007)

make sure you are not over feeding and dont leave any food in the tank for very long. Might even skip a feeding now and then.


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