Not until I got the 125g tank did I really start testing the water conditions. My 55g tank has always done really well with very little loss of life over an 18 month span. But now that I have this big 125g tank I am trying to be more sensitive to all of my fish tank's water conditions. All of my tanks read the same though and I am not sure what to do, all have ammonia readings, although admittingly I have not yet gone out to get liquid tester yet. I looked today at the LFS and they didn't have any. But while I was there I decided 10 tetras would look good in the tank. If the angels don't start eating them I will get some more. Cute buggers. That is besides the point though.
Here are my readings...
Nitrate: 20
Nitrite: 0
Hardness: 120
Alkalinity: 80
pH: 6.4
Ammonia: .25-.50 (tough to read these crappy sticks, I would say somewhere inbetween.
I tested the ammonia in my tap water and it was .25-.50 as well.
Is my fish water bad? Good? I know I shouldn't have ammonia. Like I said the other day, the ammonia sticks already read .25 when I pull them out of the box, both kinds too! (I have two types of ammonia test strips).
I want to start cleaning some of the gravel in the large tank. It has been set up for about 7 weeks now but I have dared to touch it. I had a ton of brown algae form about 1-2 weeks ago. I left it alone until 3 days ago and I wiped it all off, I haven't seen any new appear yet. DO I dare start cleaning the gravel yet?
I have these test strips and they just don't seem to tell me anything. Same readings every time, I don't know what they mean.
Here are my readings...
Nitrate: 20
Nitrite: 0
Hardness: 120
Alkalinity: 80
pH: 6.4
Ammonia: .25-.50 (tough to read these crappy sticks, I would say somewhere inbetween.
I tested the ammonia in my tap water and it was .25-.50 as well.
Is my fish water bad? Good? I know I shouldn't have ammonia. Like I said the other day, the ammonia sticks already read .25 when I pull them out of the box, both kinds too! (I have two types of ammonia test strips).
I want to start cleaning some of the gravel in the large tank. It has been set up for about 7 weeks now but I have dared to touch it. I had a ton of brown algae form about 1-2 weeks ago. I left it alone until 3 days ago and I wiped it all off, I haven't seen any new appear yet. DO I dare start cleaning the gravel yet?
I have these test strips and they just don't seem to tell me anything. Same readings every time, I don't know what they mean.