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Water Quality Qs - From a Newbie

499 views 8 replies 4 participants last post by  Lion Mom 
#1 ·
My boys are settling into routine life over here and seemed to be enjoying their 10 gallon (split) tank until the water change before last when they stopped blowing bubbles. They look fine. They're eating fine. They're just as happy to see me. They just seem a little lethargic I guess... just slightly more than usual.

Anyway... I asked for a water test kit for Christmas, but since we celebrated Sinterklaas (a Dutch holiday) today my husband - knowing I was concerned about the water conditions - gave me the test kit for Sinterklaas instead.

I am still totally new to the testing, and haven't had a chance to do much research yet, but since y'all are the experts I figured I would check in with you first.

Here are my water readings:

PH: 7.6 (super high I think, right?)
Am: 0.25ppm
Nitrite: 0.25ppm
Nitrate: 0ppm

This is AFTER the water change I made this morning... 3.5 gals out of 10gal tank. The tank is still pretty new only about a month or so old. The temp is 78F. I change their water at least 50% once a week, this week I have done a 50% on Tuesday and a 25% today.

Please let me know if there is anything else you need to know.

I want to know what is the ideal I should be shooting for here?

Any ideas on how I can bring that PH down? (Straight from the faucet my water is ph 6.8-7.0)

Thanks!
 
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#2 ·
Is your tank cycled?? If it is your readings should be all 0 and Nitrates between 10-20ppm

As for your Ph, betta's like a Ph of around 7, however I have kept all mine in 7.4 and they have all adapted. In my opinion, the last thing you should do is start fiddling with the Ph :)
 
#3 ·
Hi Welsh,

Thanks! I only got the water test kit today so I haven't been able to check on water quality to determine if we've cycled or not yet. But I have been super vigilant with my 50% changes until I got the test kit.

From what I am reading it seems that 7.6 ph isn't as high as the test pack makes it seem. But still not ideal. Since it's the highest number the test goes to I was concerned.

The boys went right into the tank about 30 hours after I set it up because previously I had them in QT tanks as they were poorly when I adopted them. I am less stressed about it now as it's only been about 4-5 weeks since the tank was set up and I am guessing that it hasn't cycled yet. Phew!
 
#6 ·
Hi,

It's a filtered 10gal from Walmart mostly silk/plastic plants, but two recently sprouted apongeton bulbs are also recent additions. Unfortunately I didn't have much time to cycle it. They had been in 1gal Sterilite tubs while recovering from "Walmart" while I was treating them, and daily water changes. I needed to get them into something decent and did not have the 4+ weeks needed to cycle a tank first. My understanding was that while this wasn't ideal, it wasn't bad either.

Glad to hear that that PH is fine. Guess I'll just keep up the changes and hope that I can get the Ammonia and Nitrite go down over time.

THANKS!!
 
#7 ·
Yes, just keep up with your water changes - maybe add more plants, if possible.

Personally, I have never done a "fishless" cycle so if you keep up with the water changes, I'm sure they will be fine. OR, if you have a friend with an established tank maybe you could get some used filter media from them for an instant cycle!!! :)
 
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