Water Quality and filtration

[DLFL]

I have a 65 gl high tank with 13 discus being grown out. I got the discus last October. The last few weeks I have been surprised by my water readings.

NH3/NH4+ is 0
NO2- is 0
NO3- is 0

I am using 2 homemade sponge filters and a AquaClear 70. The only changes have been replacing one green sponge with a black filter and switching to NovAqua Plus for water conditioning. The only other additive is a L-Lysine 500 mg tablet every 2 or 3 water changes.

I am at a loss as to why the water is as good as it is. The fish are doing great and not showing any signs of stress. I have tried doing every other day water changes to see if it made a difference but the readings are still 0.

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z97/DLFL/Filtration/003copy_zps36dc82e3.jpg http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z97/DLFL/Filtration/008copy_zps060a51c7.jpg http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z97/DLFL/Filtration/006copy_zpsde6f2996.jpg http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z97/DLFL/Filtration/005copy_zps67de7684.jpg

[fredyx]

Wow it surprise me that you don't have any nitrates considering you have three biofilters and you add directly aminoacids to the water what should lead to higher nitrogen content in water. What is your routine for water changes?

[troysdiiscus]

+1 have you tested your kits or how are you checking water parimeters??

[DLFL]

I usually do a 75-90% everyday. The last two changes I have waited two days.

[DLFL]

The kit was purchased in Oct and it is the only one I have used. I have not tested it nor know how to test it.

[DLFL]

I just spoke with Dr. Rosan at Kordon. He said their products will give no readings using API test as their conditioner cause detoxification of those three chemicals plus heavy metals. He stated that "Hach" a company in Colorado has tests that will read with these. http://www.hach.com/ I did not see products for home use on their site but I just gave it a cursory look.

His thought was that a 20% water change a week would be fine. I will stick with daily wc's until the juvs are grown out.

[fredyx]

Your nitrates levels are around 0 due to your 90% daily wc's;)

Surfing I found that Kordon Amquel Plus "detoxifies all of the kinds of toxic nitrogen compounds in the water detoxifies all forms of ammonia/ammonium/nitrites/nitrates from the water, including ammonia in chloramines";)

Just read seachem prime bottle and it is supposed to do the same detoxify ammonia/ammonium/nitrites/nitrates and it is far cheaper

[DLFL]

NovAqua Plus is $38.99 for 3.78 liters at Pet Smart and is on sale quite often. Prime is $9.99 for 250 ml.

[TNT77]

1 kilo of safe costs $23.95 from kensfish.
Fun fact:
1 kilo of Seachem Safe at $23.95 treats 200,000 gallons of water.
1 gallon of NovAqua Plus at $38.99 treats 7,693 gallons of water.

[shawnhu]

The plant may have a little to do with the low numbers.

[1077]

The plant may have a little to do with the low numbers.

+one

[fredyx]

The plant may have a little to do with the low numbers.

A single plant can do very little...

[Larry Bugg]

1 kilo of safe costs $23.95 from kensfish.
Fun fact:
1 kilo of Seachem Safe at $23.95 treats 200,000 gallons of water.
1 gallon of NovAqua Plus at $38.99 treats 7,693 gallons of water.

And for comparison sake since Prime was originally compared based on price.

Prime Water Conditioner : 4 Liter - 1 Gallon - (Treats 40,000 Gallons)
Price: $65.99
Quantity: 1

[shawnhu]

And of course, the smell from mixing your own solution of Prime from Safe, priceless!

[Larry Bugg]

No mixing necessary. I simply drop the appropriate amount of Save into the tank. Put the top back on the bottle and the smell is gone. I'll take the savings over the smell anyday, lol.

[daffyfish]

I have a 65 gl high tank with 13 discus being grown out. I got the discus last October. The last few weeks I have been surprised by my water readings.

NH3/NH4+ is 0
NO2- is 0
NO3- is 0

I am using 2 homemade sponge filters and a AquaClear 70. The only changes have been replacing one green sponge with a black filter and switching to NovAqua Plus for water conditioning. The only other additive is a L-Lysine 500 mg tablet every 2 or 3 water changes.

I am at a loss as to why the water is as good as it is. The fish are doing great and not showing any signs of stress. I have tried doing every other day water changes to see if it made a difference but the readings are still 0.



Why the L-Lysine?

[DLFL]

Daffyfish,
I read that fish farms for consumption fish use it to increases muscle development for quicker production. It probably does little in the water but I have a bottle now.