Should I do a water change now?

C

clementsx

Small Fish
#21
Jan 21, 2009
30
0
0
#21
Yes, my nitrates dropped then jumped back to 10 overnight....I copy and pasted my excel log below...(didnt paste too well with all the spaces in there)


12-Feb FISH ADDED

DATE.......NO3 NO2 Ph........... NH3
14-Feb.... 0..... 0......8..............0
16-Feb.... 0..... 0......8............. 0
18-Feb.... 5..... 0..................... 0.5...... water change 20%
22-Feb.... 0..... 0..................... 0.5
23-Feb.... 0..... 0..................... 0.25
24-Feb.... 2..... 0......................0.5 ....... live plants added
26-Feb.... 2..... 0......................0.5
2-Mar..... 5......0......................1...... water change 20%
3-Mar..... 10... 1..................... 0.5... water change 20%
4-Mar..... 10... 1..................... 0...... water change 20%
5-Mar..... 10... 1..................... 0...... water change 25%
6-Mar..... 0..... 1.....8............. 0
7-Mar..... 10... 1.....8............. 0.......... water change 25%
8-Mar..... 10... 1.....8............. 0
9-Mar..... 10... 1..................... 0
10-Mar... 10... 1..................... 0
 

homebunnyj

homebunnyj

Superstar Fish
#22
Jul 13, 2005
1,299
4
0
Western NC
#22
You know, that Mar 6 nitrate reading could be a testing error.... It does happen. Just seems a bit anomalous. Everything else on the log is going just as expected. It's pretty cool that you posted your log. :)
 

C

clementsx

Small Fish
#23
Jan 21, 2009
30
0
0
#23
homebunnyj said:
You know, that Mar 6 nitrate reading could be a testing error.... It does happen. Just seems a bit anomalous. Everything else on the log is going just as expected. It's pretty cool that you posted your log. :)
Click to expand...
homebunny, thanks for letting me know things look right, its a relief. I will keep things as they are unless my nitrites go any higher. I appreciate your replies.
 

C

clementsx

Small Fish
#24
Jan 21, 2009
30
0
0
#24
clementsx said:
Yes, my nitrates dropped then jumped back to 10 overnight....I copy and pasted my excel log below...(didnt paste too well with all the spaces in there)


12-Feb FISH ADDED

DATE.......NO3 NO2 Ph........... NH3
14-Feb.... 0..... 0......8..............0
16-Feb.... 0..... 0......8............. 0
18-Feb.... 5..... 0..................... 0.5...... water change 20%
22-Feb.... 0..... 0..................... 0.5
23-Feb.... 0..... 0..................... 0.25
24-Feb.... 2..... 0......................0.5 ....... live plants added
26-Feb.... 2..... 0......................0.5
2-Mar..... 5......0......................1...... water change 20%
3-Mar..... 10... 1..................... 0.5... water change 20%
4-Mar..... 10... 1..................... 0...... water change 20%
5-Mar..... 10... 1..................... 0...... water change 25%
6-Mar..... 0..... 1.....8............. 0
7-Mar..... 10... 1.....8............. 0.......... water change 25%
8-Mar..... 10... 1.....8............. 0
9-Mar..... 10... 1..................... 0
10-Mar... 10... 1..................... 0
Click to expand...

OK, so 3 more days passed and my nitrites stayed at 1, so I did another 20% water change, my nitrites started moving down (nitrates stayed at 10), every other day I did another 20% wc. Last night, I tested again and EVERYTHING (except my Ph) is now at 0, even my nitrates....:confused:

Is this right?

Is the tank fully cycled now or do I have to wait for the nitrates to get back to the 10-20 range before I can add more fish?
 

Last edited:
homebunnyj

homebunnyj

Superstar Fish
#25
Jul 13, 2005
1,299
4
0
Western NC
#25
I would wait.

Why have your nitrates gone to zero? Do you think your test kit may be old? Why don't you take a sample to the LFS and have them check the parameters, just to compare to your own tests.

Did you do a huge water change? Did your filter pad get dried out, as may happen if a filter stalls after a power outage and isn't noticed for a while? Did you rinse the filter pad in tap water instead of dechorinated water?

Wait for a few days, monitoring for a rise in ammonia, and double-checking the nitrate readings. Everything may be fine, or not. If not, you don't want to complicate the situation by adding more fish.
 

C

clementsx

Small Fish
#26
Jan 21, 2009
30
0
0
#26
The test kit is brand new. This thing is making me nuts. I have no idea what happened to the nitrates! I double checked last night after the first reading of 0.

DATE.......NO3....... NO2........NH3
11-Mar..... 10........ 1 ........... 0
12-Mar..... 10........ 1 ............0
13-Mar..... 10........ 1 ........... 0......water change 25%
14-Mar..... 10........ 1 ........... 0
15-Mar..... 10........ 0.5 - 1.... 0......water change 20%
16-Mar..... 7.......... 0.5 - 1.... 0
17-Mar..... 10........ 0.5...... ... 0......water change 20%
18-Mar...... 0........ 0.......... .... 0
19-Mar...... 0........ 0........... ... 0


Should I have not done the water change on the 17th?


ugh....
 

homebunnyj

homebunnyj

Superstar Fish
#27
Jul 13, 2005
1,299
4
0
Western NC
#27
Your water changes look fine.

Has anything happened that could have killed off your bacteria?

You're 100% sure you're doing the nitrate test exactly as directed?

Try not to worry too much. Either you'll have nitrates show back up again, or your tank will cycle again. Either way, it will come out alright in the end. I know it's frustrating. But it will end up alright. :)
 

C

clementsx

Small Fish
#28
Jan 21, 2009
30
0
0
#28
Nothing other than what is in my log happened.

I would love to believe I am doing something wrong with the tests, but its pretty fool proof...even for a fool like me.
 

C

clementsx

Small Fish
#29
Jan 21, 2009
30
0
0
#29
I believe I have found the problem. After checking the bio wheels and seeing them not moving, I looked at the filter (magnum 350) to see some kinks in the hoses, input and output.

Assuming this was the culprit and the water was not filtering properly for the last however many days, shouldn't the ammonia and nitrites be sky high by now?

They are still sitting at zero.
 

C

clementsx

Small Fish
#31
Jan 21, 2009
30
0
0
#31
3 days since I fixed the kinks. The ammonia went up to .25 for 2 days, then down to 0. The nitrates and nitrites are still at 0.

What the hell? Am I beginning a new cycle on this because I don't think I have the patience.
 

brian1973

brian1973

Superstar Fish
#34
Jan 20, 2008
2,001
3
38
Corpus Christi, Texas
#34
4 plants shouldnt effect your levels in that size tank, I hate to ask but are you absolutely sure your following the instruction book to the letter? I know you must have been to get reading before but unless something is killing it off you should have some sort of reading especially with a stocked tank.
 

brian1973

brian1973

Superstar Fish
#38
Jan 20, 2008
2,001
3
38
Corpus Christi, Texas
#38
OrangeCones said:
I wouldn't say 'messing things up,' they are consuming the fish waste, using it as their fertilizer. If the plants are growing well, they could be consuming your nitrates.
Click to expand...
While it is possible, in my own heavy planted tanks I usually get a small amount of nitrates, not enough to worry about but still there is some reading and it seems to stabilize around 5ppm. So with only 3 plants in a 75 I would expect to see something.
 

C

clementsx

Small Fish
#39
Jan 21, 2009
30
0
0
#39
For the naysayers (thinking I am a complete knucklehead), I brought in a sample to my LFS and had them test the water. Same numbers as mine...000 across the board...and...after testing the ammonia and the nitrites, the girl says "we don't usually test for nitrates" after I originally explained was my main concern.,, geesh

Anyway, since I am out of ideas on the problem here, and the people that replied here seem stumped as well....Is it possible that a dying plant could do any harm left in the tank?

I am obviously new to the fish scene and ditto with the plants, but one plant I have, over the last 2 weeks has lost most of its "green" and turned to a pale whitish/green. Not sure what they look like when they die (except for the obvious brown or opaque coloring) so I removed the plant tonight thinking maybe that is a contributor.


Could this be the culprit?

I am so lost here.....
 

Last edited:
homebunnyj

homebunnyj

Superstar Fish
#40
Jul 13, 2005
1,299
4
0
Western NC
#40
One dying plant couldn't destroy your bacterial colonies, or screw up your nitrate readings like that. And three plants in a 75, I can't imagine how they could have that much effect in the first place.

Can you describe your tank and filter maintenance in the time right before your nitrates went to zero?
 

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