10G Did API testing Am I In Trouble? :(

[Tweedybird]

I recently bought API's Master Test kit and decided last night I would test the Amonia, Nitrite and Nitrate levels in my 10 gallon community tank.
This is the first time after reading alot of posts on this forum that I have actually used a test kit on my water. (Not knowing the importance of these factors)

Anyway the Amonia test read 0.25 to 0.50
The Nitrite read the same 0.25 to 0.50
and the Nitrate which I'm unsure of how to read
because the measurments are different. but
they read, looks like red between 40 and 80.

are my fishies in trouble?

I did a 10% water change last night and a 50% water change this morning

let me know.

TB

Also I have two Angels, two clown loaches, 1 mamaba pleco, and a guppie.

 

[nycsicktank]

it looks like your test kits are telling you the truth.

you have way to many livestock in that tank.
plus the bioload

 

[Rbishop]

Do water changes until that ammonia and nitrite are zero. What are the readings on your tap water?

 

[Tweedybird]

Do water changes until that ammonia and nitrite are zero. What are the readings on your tap water?

How often on the water changes and should I do 50% at a time?

I Just ran tests on my tap water
here are the results.

0 PPM Amonia
0 PPM Nitrite
5.0 PPM Nitrate

TB

 

[Tweedybird]

it looks like your test kits are telling you the truth.

you have way to many livestock in that tank.
plus the bioload

Please for the Fish Impaired, I know what you mean about to many fish but what do you mean about plus the bioload?

I am planning to move these fish to the new tank once its cycled, but I'm affraid to just dump them in a larger uncycled 75g tank.

TB

 

[Rbishop]

They are saying the fish you have in the 10 gal tank is an excessive bio load and limited space for them.

I would just move the fish and the filter over from the 10 gal to the 75...

 

[msjinkzd]

bioload is the amount of waster produced (relative to size). fish like guppies have much less bioload than fish like plecos.

 

[Tweedybird]

ahh ok note to self. Now as for the bioload I have now with the two angels, loaches, pleco and guppy, should I not add any more fish to the 75g? after the cycle is complete? cause when I switch them over today to the new tank with the old filter
won't that start the cycle over? or will I just have to maintain my amonia, nitrite and nitrate levels and keep doing WC's?

 

[msjinkzd]

the filter houses alot of your good bacteria, moving the filter moves hte bacteria. You may have some spike because of hte bacteria left in the substrate and surfaces of the 10g. As far as stocking, I will leave that to the bigger fish/tank people.

 

[Rbishop]

You will have plenty of room for more fish.

Just monitor daily your ammonia levels on the 75, and do a water change whenever it reads at .25 ppm.