Water test results Q

[dadof3]

Hi all,

We're back yesterday from a 5 day vacation and the fishys look fine.

Ammonia: below .25
Nitrite: .25
Nitrate: below 5.0
PH: forgot to test

I immediately did a 30% w/c.
That was yesterday.

Today:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: .25
Nitrate: between 0 and 5
PH: 7.6

Before doing the water change I took a sample for test to LFS.
He said the water is fine. (?)

I'm still learning so please correct me if I'm wrong.

I understand the tests should look like this;
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20-40
PH: 7.2-7.6 (?)

Am I understanding correctly that these are the test results I'm aiming for to maintain as safe levels?
If so then I'm wondering why the LFS said the levels are fine when they were high, or maybe ppm was within "safe" levels by his understanding?.
Please clarify for me, I want to do this right for our fish.
I'm taking todays sample to a different LFS to compare my reads to to be sure I'm doing tests right.

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, should I see a Nitrite increase during the Cycle, which is necessary, to create a higher Nitrate level?

The tank is 3 weeks old, doing a fishy cycle because I didnt know better before.

Thanks

[dorkfish]

You will see amonia and nitrite rise during the cycle, then drop down again. Amonia and nitrite should be 0, anything above that is high. Nitraate should be below 20ppm, You should want to make the nitrate lower (if anything) not higher. As long as the Ph is not an extreme level, it does not matter to the health of almost all fish.

[khombre]

same here..

do some more water changes to get those nitrites down..

and don't trust the lfs if they say its fine.. just remember what dfish said, ammonia and nitrite should be 0, nitrates about 20ppm

good luck :)

[hmt321]

for being 3 weeks into a fishy cycle your water looks about where it should be i would think. depending on how many fish you have in the tank. 5 days w/o a water change during a fishy cycle is not the best idea but at least you did not have some sort of massive nitrite spike.

looks like it is coming along though

get a hold of some bio-spira (make sure it is refrigerated) it may speed the cycle along. do a search here it seems to me that people on this sight report about a 85% - 90% success rate. (and i would be willing to bet that the failures are due to improper handling or improper use)

my 2 cents

[TKOS]

Yup sounds like you are on track. Nitrates can be zero if you do enough water changes. The only reason to keep nitrates at any specific level is if you have a planted tank. But anything below 20 ppm should be safe.

[hmt321]

TKOS reminded me, if you have a heavily planted tank they may use up the nitrates almost as fast as they are produced. iN MY 40 Gal planted tank i almost never show and nitrates.

[dadof3]

Thanks for all the info, I feel more comfortable now with the readings.

I'll do another 30% WC tonight then test again tomorrow.