Water change with varying PH

[Boyd43]

Been doing a fishy cycle since April 25th and just 2 days ago started getting nitrite readings of .25(yay on that) and have been changing 8 gallons every 1 to 2 days(vac'd the gravel once). Today I came home and have a nitrite reading of 1 and just changed 9 gallons. I'm thinking I should probably do a second change today but am a bit worried about PH. Tank water is at 7.4 but my tap water reads 8.8 or higher. Then 7.6 - 8.0 after sitting for a day and treating with API tap water conditioner( also .25 ammonia which I is due to our water being treated with Chloramine).

Is the high PH reading on the tap a false reading since it hasn't settled? and would it be safe to do a water change with it?



Test results Yesterday
PH 7.6
Ammonia .50
Nitrites .25
Nitrates .00
Temp 77.2 F / 25.1 C

and Today
PH 7.6
Ammonia .25
Nitrites 1.0
Nitrates .00
Temp 77.2 F / 25.1 C

[J double R]

the false reading IS because it hasnt settled, good job figuring that out! :)

it is more than likely perfectly fine to do water changes with it. :)

[Boyd43]

Thanks J double R (http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/member.php?u=63774) I just wanted to be sure before I went ahead and did it, growing rather attached to these platies and rather wishing I did a fishless cycle. (http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/member.php?u=63774)

[Mgamer20o0]

should be fine. you might also want to change more water. good luck.

[Rbishop]

You need to be enough water changes, and multiple ones, whenever ammonia or nitrites hit .25

[Boyd43]

You need to be enough water changes, and multiple ones, whenever ammonia or nitrites hit .25

That's part of what gets me, my tap water has .25 ammonia(due to chloramine) so changing when ammonia is at that level for me I think is a bit pointless.
And I'm not sure if it'll effect the development of nitrAtes(I think I read they only develop once the ammonia is at 0).
I ended up doing 2 separate water changes today of 9 - 10 gallons(which is the size of the 2nd tank I have to treat and heat the tap water). and got nitrites back down to .25, hopefully that holds me for the night.

[Rbishop]

It goes ammonia to nitrites to nitrates.

If you have incoming water at .25 ammonia, use Prime, and do the water change whenever you test greater than .25 ammonia