My Water Parameters

Hi all,

I just dunked a Sera Multitest Strip and got the following readings:

NO3 = 8
NO2 = 0
GH = 6-10
KH = 6
pH = 7.5 - 7.8

This is obviously more or less, but anything I should be looking out for judging by these readings?

 

Species in the tank?

 

10 Danio and my beloved JD. There used to be white cloud minnow, but the JD got hungry...

 

OK, this brings me to the question I wanted to ask for some time. Is there a reliable site with regard to fish water parameters. After Prof pointed out to me how wrong http://www.aqua-fish.net/ is on the Angel fish, I do not trust them any more. Is there a better site?

 

N: Danio rerio - Zebra danio

v: 5-7 cm, ph: 6.5-7.2, dh: 4-12, t: 18-26 °C,

I do no know which Danio you refer to and what a JD is, but looks like your water is OK. In the longterm you may want to lower your pH some? Water hardness seems OK.

Is that your tap water or are you mixing some other sources?

 

A JD is a Jack Dempsey.

Yup, that's tap water. Shoots out at 7.4...

 

shibby

may i add mine? just tested mine,?

NO3 25
NO2 0
GH 5-10
KH 10
PH 6.8

looks like my NO3 is high? what can one do?

 

My NO3 is also 25+ NH3/4 is 0, No2 =0. I have a def. problem with NO3. It spike within 3 days of doing WC. And my pH creep up to 8. Probably because of water hardness and bio load?

As I understand it, if NH3 and No2 = 0, the bio filter is doing its work. NO3 must be used by the plants, but it is simply too much, so WC is the answer? Also a sign of overstocking?

I am not going to play around with hardness, until I now finally decided what fish I am going to keep.

 

So do I, and it can be seen in N03...?

 

well, i just did a 25-30% WC this morning, and i do have a few fish, but, i have 2 HOB filters running, and no fish that die?

 

hahaha, slim ne?

this is why i need to set up my 3rd tank,,,,,

 

N: Cichlasoma octofasciatum - Jack dempsey

v: 15-20 cm, ph: 7-8.5, dh: 18-30, t: 25-28 °C,

To keep your Danio and JD happy, you will aim for pH 7.1 and dh is incompatible! Danio high at dh12 and JD dh low at dh18.

That is according to the site mentioned above.

 

How often do you do this?

I think your saving grace is your lower pH at 6.8. If that goes up to 8, you will start seeing floaties. Unless you WC 2 to 3 times a week. Your HOB is not breaking down NO3, even if you have 4. Or are you using Purigen?

 

well i do 20% wc every 2nd day, i have 2 HOB filters, one with Wool and Carbon and one with wool and Ceramic rings, this is the big one, and in the back of the HOB i also added a few bio balls.

 

This is what is keeping your NH3 and NO2 at zero. That is fantastic. But your WC every second day is what is keeping your NO3 in check, but could be better. Maybe increase that 20% to 30%?

Every second day is a lot of work. (Once a week is bad enough) Drop the bio load, get that 3rd tank!

If I am talking crap, help me right! I am here to learn.

 

haha, that make two of us,

i know its alot of work, but i really do like doing it.

o ja, just did a test on our rain water.

all are @ 0, and the PH is 6-6.4

 

1) Filtration is the long term help in getting water parameters right.
2) I might be missing this - but what size is the tank and what HOB's do you have on them
3) AFAIK (Disclaimer never had one) JD can get mean and all its tanks mates are food if it can fit it in its mouth.
4) You can pimp your HOB - add a nice peace of sponge on the intake and depending on the size of the HOB pot dump the bio-ball and add more ceramic media (more bacterial area) - keep an eye on the floss it gets clogged quickly.
5) I am not sure about the Carbon - fresh - old - used ?
6) Post a pick of the tank
7) WC are great but can be disruptive - do you need to prepare your water or are you running straight from the tap.

BTW check for dead fish / plants / snails - remove if found.

Later Ferdie

 

Rain water is fantastic, and also soft. But I have given up on the idea to use that to mix with tap water. Rain is too inconsistant and therfore you can not keep up.

Haha, hopefully the ammonia levels in rain water is all @ 0! But I did the test as well. Shows my test kit is not lying!

 

well my tank is a std 3ft, so thats 900*320*320

will take and post pics now

 

@Vez
Your tank seems fine. No fish dying.

There is a saying - 'If you keep on doing what you always did, you will keep on getting what you allways got'