Aquarium cleaning and conditions

Riddles said:
Should I change the filter each time that I am doing a water change? Are Prime and Amquel+ conditioners that should be added each time? I know that i sound really stupid right now but I am willing to start back at square one. I think that the OTS was a correct diagnosis.
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No, you don't sound stupid at all!

As rrkss said, leave the filters. Just rinse them out in old tank water really good and put them back in.

Yes, Prime and Amquel remove or make harmless chlorine/chloramine and ammonia. Yes, you should add one of them to the new change water in order to make sure that it is safe for the fish. That's why we need a reading on your tap water. Ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and pH, please :)

Roan
 
Tap water

These are the readings for the tap water:
PH 7.2, Ammonia .25 ppm, Nitrite 0 ppm, Nitrate 0 ppm.

I changed the water (about 25 - 30 %) and added Aqua Plus + tap water conditioner about 2.5 mL per 9L or (3 Gallons)

I hope this was the right thing to do. Should I test the water again tonight or wait until I change the water again tomorrow? :hang:
 
So the ammonia is coming from your tap water. You will need to use an appropriate water conditioner for that. Prime or Amquel. Every time you do a water change treat the water you are adding to your tank. Until things get straightened out, you should probably be testing before a water change and a few hours after.
 
The tap water is reading ammonia because your tap water contains chloramines. Chloramines are ammonia bound with chlorine and most municipalities nowadays use those to make the water safe instead of just chlorine.

You must use Prime or Amquel on your tap water for changes. They will both render the chlorine harmless and bind the ammonia part of the chloramine into ammonium -- also harmless but in a form that can still be used by your bacteria.

The chloramines are registering on your test because it cannot distinguish between chloramine and ammonia. That's okay, BUT it means that if you use that test kit then after a water change you will always read positive for ammonia. Wait a couple of hours, then test your water for ammonia again. The ammonia reading should disappear since the beneficial bacteria in the tank will consume it. If it does not, then you have problems.

Roan
 
conditioner?

Is the Aqua Plus conditioner okay or does it have to be one of the two brands you mentioned. I couldn't find those brands at the pet supply stores around my place. :huh:
 
It's coming along now. These are the readings from last night:

45G PH 7.2, Ammonia 0 PPM, Nitrite 0 ppm, Nitrate ~60 ppm
10G PH 8.0, Ammonia 0 ppm, Nitrite 0 ppm, Nitrate 40 ppm

Is that 8.0 PH value too high for atankk with neons, zebra danios, and a pleco?
 
The readings already seem much better. If the fish look fine at that pH they probably are fine. I've read many stories of fish living long healthy lives and even spawning at a pH of 8.0 and above. Keep up with the waterchanges and good luck.
 
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