Really, really need help with aquarium water

[Stormyrose786]

Oh, & I still will get a complete test kit, & ammonia test kit asap.

I have had water sitting out for a few hours now - tap & filtered, & I'll check them in the morning.

I did 50% water change in small tank & about 35% in big tank to hopefully help a little until I can get something to help bring the nitrates & nitrites down.

 

[fishorama]

I'm late to your thread, but the nitrite level you said is incredibly high! Any nitrite is harmful, even 0.25... & you had what?!? 3.0? In 40 years of fish keeping I've never ever seen it that high. This is 1 of the few times I'd advocate adding salt (table salt is fine). Look up brown blood disease for dosing salt & what nitrite does to fish.

I know you've been stuck with a tank & fish you didn't choose or the tap water available. Do the best you can to educate yourself & change water as often as you can, daily if you possibly can.

 

[Stormyrose786]

Thanks...I am not sure what caused that change, but I am trying to get it down. Honestly, I am afraid to use salt, because when I did, it killed most of the fish I had left. And I used aquarium salt.

And btw, if anyone is wondering...it's not that I don't want the fish or don't want to deal with them. It's just that I am trying to not kill any more, & I would have not chosen to do this myself because I know it's not easy.

 

[dudley]

Just to be clear on testing, you want zero ammonia, zero nitrite and some level of nitrate over 5 PPM. Please don't get nitrite and nitrate confused!

Daily water changes with fish in the tank will keep the ammonia and nitrite as close to zero as possible assuming your tap water testing doesn't show results for either parameter.

 

[Stormyrose786]

Okay, thanks. I actually thought both Nitrite & Nitrate were supposed to be 0.

I checked the water I left out overnight, & no nitrites or nitrates, but yeah, GH, KH, PH are still high.

I hope to get real test kits tomorrow or Saturday, & will know more then.

For my KH, I had about decided on using distilled water mixed with filtered tap water or with the stuff that puts the minerals back in. But somebody said to get KH adjusters instead, but Idk what to use - well, that will work & I can do safely (as basically a beginner).

Of course, it was also suggested to get different fish, but my uncle really wants the guppies & tetras...