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Thread: Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates

  1. #1
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    Default Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates

    What are the ideal numbers we should be looking for ? What's the goal ?
    Thanks,
    Zippy

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    Registered Member Ryan925's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates

    You mean daily basis?
    Im not illiterate...only my phone's auto correct is

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    Registered Member Jack L's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates

    Quote Originally Posted by zippy View Post
    What are the ideal numbers we should be looking for ? What's the goal ?
    Thanks,
    Zippy
    0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, low on nitrate i try to stay under 20

  4. #4
    Registered Member Jack L's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates

    high nitrates will kill fish, IME > 80 they have dropped dead (wasn't a discus tank)

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    Registered Member jmf3460's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates

    0, 0, <10ppm
    ~JACKLYN~

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    Default Re: Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates

    Last night my tank Ammonia 0, Nitrites 2, Nitrates 10. I added 2tsp of Ammonia which brought the Ammonia up to 3.0. I Just checked my tank and it is Ammonia .50, Nitrite 5+, Nitrites are 10. I added 1tsp of Ammonia to bring it up a bit. I believe my tank had cycled a week ago as I was getting readings of Ammonia 0, Nitrites O, Nitrates 10, 24 hours after adding Ammonia and bring the Ammonia reading up to 3+. I stopped adding Ammonia and I think I killed my BB.

    I'm more than a little nervous about these numbers as I am supposed to be getting my fish from Kenny on Tuesday. I plan on doing a large WC on Monday.
    What are your thoughts ???
    Zippy

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    Registered Member jmf3460's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates

    I think you are cycled. add ammonia tomorrow and then do a large water change Monday night. ready for fish Tuesday.
    ~JACKLYN~

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    Registered Member Jenene's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates

    +1 with Jacklyn then to be safe take Kenny's advice and do some big wc for 7 to 10 days. Looking forward to pics.
    "You can't trust water: Even a straight stick turns crooked in it." -W.C.Fields

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    Default Re: Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates

    Last night I added 1tsp of Ammonia and a little Stability, about 5mil. Just checked the tank tonight, Ammonia 0, Nitrites 5+, Nitrates 160, added 1/2tsp of Ammonia. I'll change out 80gals of the 90gals tomorrow and I believe I should be ready for my finned friends on Tuesday.
    Thanks everyone for the comments and help. I can't thank you enough.
    Zippy

  10. #10
    Registered Member jmf3460's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates

    nitrates are through the roof. water changes are a must at this point.
    ~JACKLYN~

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    Default Re: Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates

    Yes, I will do a 90% WC this morning and if needed I will do another tonight,
    Zippy

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    Default Re: Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates

    Quote Originally Posted by jmf3460 View Post
    nitrates are through the roof. water changes are a must at this point.
    Just did 90% WC. The Ammonia 0, Nitrite 2.5, Nitrate 5. If need be I'll do another change tonight.
    Thoughts,
    Zippy

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    Default Re: Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates

    i posted a thread a while back in regards to quarantining new fish. I had ordered some Discus from Kenny recently and was in the process of setting up my quarintine tank. I had a sponge filter already seeded in my 90 gallon display tank for such ocaasions but started to have some concerns about using a seeded sponge from another tank. I know in some cases people will use a seeded sponge from another tank to use in their quarantine tank, but in my humble opinion I feel that is breaking quarantine by introducing something from an existing tank to a tank that it is suppose to be a sterile environment. Well i contacted Kenny, of whom I have purchased several Discus from over the past few years and Kennys advice to me was that i would be okay to use a new unseeded sponge filter as long as I did to 80% water changes for the first 7-10 days and then 50% for another week or so and after that I would be fine. I followed Kenny's directions and I can honestly say that I did not have one problem. I'm sharing this because although our levels may not be perfect in a uncycled tank that we're trying to cycle or in a tank that has an unseeded sponge its been proven that they don't need to be as long as we keep up with our water changes,which is something we're going to do anyway. I believe that we should always try to provide the best conditions for our Discus but there is also a little wiggle room.

  14. #14
    Registered Member Ryan925's Avatar
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    Default Re: Ammonia, Nitrites and Nitrates

    Quote Originally Posted by dinnese View Post
    i posted a thread a while back in regards to quarantining new fish. I had ordered some Discus from Kenny recently and was in the process of setting up my quarintine tank. I had a sponge filter already seeded in my 90 gallon display tank for such ocaasions but started to have some concerns about using a seeded sponge from another tank. I know in some cases people will use a seeded sponge from another tank to use in their quarantine tank, but in my humble opinion I feel that is breaking quarantine by introducing something from an existing tank to a tank that it is suppose to be a sterile environment. Well i contacted Kenny, of whom I have purchased several Discus from over the past few years and Kennys advice to me was that i would be okay to use a new unseeded sponge filter as long as I did to 80% water changes for the first 7-10 days and then 50% for another week or so and after that I would be fine. I followed Kenny's directions and I can honestly say that I did not have one problem. I'm sharing this because although our levels may not be perfect in a uncycled tank that we're trying to cycle or in a tank that has an unseeded sponge its been proven that they don't need to be as long as we keep up with our water changes,which is something we're going to do anyway. I believe that we should always try to provide the best conditions for our Discus but there is also a little wiggle room.
    Very true. Many are ok with putting their discus into an uncycled tank because they have the full understanding of the necessity of large daily wcs. The risk is if one is missed you can cause some serious damage to your fish. Adding fish to an uncycled tank can be done but it can also be risky and end in disaster.
    Im not illiterate...only my phone's auto correct is

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