Weird readings?

[Eve]

Okay so I started a 55g tank. Yesterday morning the ammonia levels were high and I started using Microbe-lift xtreme and did around 25% water change. I kept using the water conditioner during the day. Today I checked the water and to my surprise there is 0 ammonia and 0 nitrates, but the Ph went down, its between 7.4 and 7.8. They seem to be breathing a little fast. is it possible to have 0 nitrates? Im stressing out.

 

[AdamB]

Did you check nitrite levels ? If nitrites are 0 and your ammonia was high yesterday I do not think it possible to have 0 nitrates.. How long has your tank been cycled?

 

[Anirban]

How many fishes you have in there? Did you cycle the tank before putting the fishes? If yes then how long? In fully cycled tank ammonia should be readily processed and hence you dont get a reading for ammonia. NO3 is part of the cycle and not harmful to fishes. How are you testing them? Whenever you use water conditioner like that you should aerate the water more.

 

[Eve]

Did you check nitrite levels ? If nitrites are 0 and your ammonia was high yesterday I do not think it possible to have 0 nitrates.. How long has your tank been cycled?

I haven’t check the nitrites, the test I had were expired so I just order new ones. And honestly I started then tank in November 3. I started with live sand, nutrisea water and stability. And I just added the fish 3 days ago.

 

[Anirban]

Your tank is not cycled yet. Get some good product like Dr. Tims one and only and add it asap. Also, keep feeding the fish but only once a day so that the bioload is less and ammonia production is low also it will help in feeding the bacteria and establishing the biofilter. Get a bottle of prime and add small dose if you again read ammonia. How many fish you have and what kind? Get rid of the microbe lift extreme its a junk thing.

 

[Mical]

Whoa.. you need to slow down. A typical tank takes about a month or longer to cycle. (Yes there are so called additives to speed up the process) but a little over a week to add fish? Not good. You might want to take fish back and have seller hold it for you. The first month to 6 weeks parameters are going to spike & change and adding fish to soon will likely kill them. Sorry to be the bearer of "ugly news" but research more and ask questions. Some fish stores will sell you anything just to make the sale, you're in good company here and members will help you on all fronts - the first one being slow down & be patient. The quote most here stand by is "Nothing Good Happens Quickly in a Saltwater Tank"

 

[Nano10]

I dont trust additives to cycle a tank or make it safe for livestock. You shouldn't have added fish until the tank was cycled.

 

[AdamB]

Okay... Your tank has not cycled completely then. . I am thinking you have nitrite levels in your tank if you are not picking up nitrates. I think adding 3 fish that quick is caused your ammonia spike. Get Dr Tims bacteria or equal..
If you know anyone that you could get some seeded live rock asap would help as well..
I rushed my 1st tank .. All of us has done that... good luck

 

[Malifry97]

Turbo start may be expensive but it works FAST I’d recommend it for this situation.

 

[Eve]

Whoa.. you need to slow down. A typical tank takes about a month or longer to cycle. (Yes there are so called additives to speed up the process) but a little over a week to add fish? Not good. You might want to take fish back and have seller hold it for you. The first month to 6 weeks parameters are going to spike & change and adding fish to soon will likely kill them. Sorry to be the bearer of "ugly news" but research more and ask questions. Some fish stores will sell you anything just to make the sale, you're in good company here and members will help you on all fronts - the first one being slow down & be patient. The quote most here stand by is "Nothing Good Happens Quickly in a Saltwater Tank"
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Okay... Your tank has not cycled completely then. . I am thinking you have nitrite levels in your tank if you are not picking up nitrates. I think adding 3 fish that quick is caused your ammonia spike. Get Dr Tims bacteria or equal..
If you know anyone that you could get some seeded live rock asap would help as well..
I rushed my 1st tank .. All of us has done that... good luck

I used biospora, I forgot to mentioned that and I also added some water from the old tank. Its not my first tank, so I though it would help to cycle faster I really needed to move them to a different tank. I have live rocks but they are overrun by aiptasia so I would hate getting it into the new tank. I might just need to get one from my LFS tomorrow then, but I was hoping to avoid adding live rocks to my new tank.

 

[Eve]

How many fishes you have in there? Did you cycle the tank before putting the fishes? If yes then how long? In fully cycled tank ammonia should be readily processed and hence you dont get a reading for ammonia. NO3 is part of the cycle and not harmful to fishes. How are you testing them? Whenever you use water conditioner like that you should aerate the water more.

I just added an extra powerhead, I think I over did it with the water conditioner. I have two clownfish and goby with a pistol shrimp and 3 turbo snails.

 

[Mical]

Ok now with a bit more info, how much water did you transfer from your old tank? Did you transfer sand too? Give us more details so we can help.

 

[Eve]

Ok now with a bit more info, how much water did you transfer from your old tank? Did you transfer sand too? Give us more details so we can help.

Like 10 gallons and no, brand new live sand I didn’t want any aiptasia. I wish I would have taken a pic of the old tank! It was really bad since my parents couldn’t take care of it while I was away. I just added the powerhead and it seems like the heavy breathing stopped! I think I used too much X-treme.

 

[Mical]

Ok since you're waiting on test kits, take water sample to LFS and have them test, so at least you can get a ground zero reading. Keep the powerhead going so aeration helps keep inhabitants happy. Avoid throwing any more additives at it until you have your params. Hopefully the amount of transfer water brought over enough beneficial bacteria to get you through.

 

[Eve]

Ok since you're waiting on test kits, take water sample to LFS and have them test, so at least you can get a ground zero reading. Keep the powerhead going so aeration helps keep inhabitants happy. Avoid throwing any more additives at it until you have your params. Hopefully the amount of transfer water brought over enough beneficial bacteria to get you through.

Okay! I will bring it tomorrow. Is there any other testing I should be buying? I have always tested ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, and ph, but should I be testing anything else??

 

[Mical]

Okay! I will bring it tomorrow. Is there any other testing I should be buying? I have always tested ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, and ph, but should I be testing anything else??

If you're only keeping fish that should be good. If you plan on adding corals, nems etc... then plan on adding DKH, Cal & magnesium test kits. Again, take your time, research & absorb all the knowledge you can & before long you'll be addicted to this hobby like the rest of us.

 

[Eve]

If you're only keeping fish that should be good. If you plan on adding corals, nems etc... then plan on adding DKH, Cal & magnesium test kits. Again, take your time, research & absorb all the knowledge you can & before long you'll be addicted to this hobby like the rest of us.

Sounds good! Thank you!

 

[Anirban]

Like 10 gallons and no, brand new live sand I didn’t want any aiptasia. I wish I would have taken a pic of the old tank! It was really bad since my parents couldn’t take care of it while I was away. I just added the powerhead and it seems like the heavy breathing stopped! I think I used too much X-treme.

So you transferred water from an aiptasia infested tank to your new tank ???? Why did you do that? I hope you know that aiptasia spread through water too.

 

[Eve]

So you transferred water from an aiptasia infested tank to your new tank ???? Why did you do that? I hope you know that aiptasia spread through water too.

I think it will be okay.

 

[Anirban]

I think it will be okay.

If you did that then nope...thats science you can not avoid it. But in case you have access then move your fishes and start from scratch again. Do it when you still can.