test results

[merc1500]

well i messed up on these two tanks to much to fast i have been monitoring my water parameters and 25 percent water changes everyday and the follawing is what i end up with. first 10 gallon contains 4 danios,2 pearl danios,2 black neons,and 4 neon tetras. 1/13/09 ammonia 1.0, nitrite 0,and nitrate 0 1/14/09 ammonia 1.5, nitrite 0, and nitrate 0 1/17/09 ammonia 1.0, nitrite 0, nitrate 0

ok now for the mini bow 2.5 contain 1 danio,1 neon,and 1 black neon (1/13/09 ammonia .50, nitrites 0, and nitrates 0 ) (1/15/09 ammonia 1.0, nitrites 0, and nitrates 0) (1/17/09 ammonia .50, nitrites 0, and nitrates 0) i change 25 percent water ever other day on this tank


now im not sure of the status of estabilishment on either tank. i kno there both over stocked. im planing to replace the 2.5 with a 5 gallon to hopfully help me in this issue. now for the ten gallon i have set up another ten gallon but im not goignt o make the same mistake twice. i plan to wait a month before adding more fish. but im thinking when i do slowly tranfer the fish from the other tank over in to it. thats not really what i want to do but these water changes are wearing on me.

my question here is if i continue my routine of water changes keep the ammoina below 1.0 how long roughly will it take the bio filter to catch up with the bio load. the ten gallon has a bio wheel 100b the 2.5 has a whisper interanal micro filter. when i move to the 5 gallon when i can find one i plan to run a whisper 10i filter which has a bio sponge and i plan to use everything else from the 2.5g u kno gravel and such.

another question i have is how come my nitrates and nitrites are 0 i havnt noticed a change in those levels.

im sorry for my long bad grammer post i have devolopment issues and have trouble with proper grammer and such.

thanks for sorting through my terrible grammer adn helping me i really appercaite it

 

[Bakerman]

Prime

Prime is indeed good stuff. Read the directions carefully.

Just out of curiosity- What is it about Prime or its directions that concerns you? I am interested as I recently switched to Prime after water changes in both my tanks, and I am delighted with the results.

 

[sombunya]

Some people are surprised that it requires so little to treat the water.

The directions say to treat the for the entire tank capacity when doing a water change (25%, for example) but it also says that it is better to treat just the water being added.

I contacted Seachem about the chemical possibly building up after time and they said it goes away after a short time, maybe a day or two. Others have said they have been doing water changes for years, treating for the entire tank capacity with no problems.

What I do is vacuum the gravel and remove the water volume to be changed. I then mix it in buckets and dump it in that way. A little more hassle but I don't have to carry the buckets far.

So the answer to your question is; it's okay to treat the entire tank but it's better to treat just the water being added, according to the manufacturer. You decide how you want to do it.

 

[DesignsOnYou]

Your tank isn't cycled yet. Times vary on how long this will take, it could be anywhere between 2 and 6 weeks. You should read the stickies on cycling. You don't have any nitrites or nitrates yet because the way the cycle works is ammonia gets converted to nitrites, then nitrites get converted to nitrates. So your ammonia will spike and then go down, then your nitrites will spike and then go down. Your tank is cycled when ammonia and nitrite are both at 0, and nitrates are showing up. Hope this helps.

 

[TMony]

Your tank isn't cycled yet. Times vary on how long this will take, it could be anywhere between 2 and 6 weeks. You should read the stickies on cycling. You don't have any nitrites or nitrates yet because the way the cycle works is ammonia gets converted to nitrites, then nitrites get converted to nitrates. So your ammonia will spike and then go down, then your nitrites will spike and then go down. Your tank is cycled when ammonia and nitrite are both at 0, and nitrates are showing up. Hope this helps.

I agree with DesignsOnYou and think you just need to wait a little longer and keep on doing the water changes until the tank cycles. Sounds like you are doing the right things, just need to be patient.