# Freshwater test results



## htjunkie (Jul 20, 2012)

Have had a Fluval Chi 6.5 gallon tank for over a week now, I now have 3 guppies and with stock filter. Before I got the fishes I brought some water in for testing and I was told pretty good.

I went and got the master test kit today, here's what I got:

pH - 7.6
High Range pH - 7.4
Ammonia - 0.25
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate 5.0

I'm not sure if the guppies are happy with pH level 7.6, and how can I get the Ammonia down to 0?

Much appreciate your help.


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## Y2KGT (Jul 20, 2009)

Don't worry about the PH. The Guppies will be acclimated to the PH by now. The Ammonia will go to zero when the bacteria that breaks it down has built up to the point where it can handle the amount of ammonia that your tank is producing. Unfortunately this is when your nitrites will start to climb. When the nitrites start to fall to zero that's when your tank is finally cycled. This process takes approximately 4 weeks from start to finish however could take even longer. In the interim I would suggest that you feed your guppies as little as possible. The more you feed the more ammonia your tank will produce.

Do 25% water changes every week however if your fish show signs of stress you should do more water changes. I personally like to use Seachem Stability to speed up the cycle. You can also borrow some used bio media from a fellow aquarist with a healthy tank. Add this meda to your filter and you should be good to go.
--
Paul


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## htjunkie (Jul 20, 2012)

Thanks Paul, I'll feed them as little as possible. They seem to be very hungry tho as everyone walks by the tank, they would all float to the top waiting for food  Looks like they're doing okay so far as I see them fairly calm, most of them time they would stay at the bottom half of the tank, when they swim around they don't go too fast or too crazy. They get a bit more agressive when I feed them, but nothing out of the ordinary I don't think.

I make sure every time I feed them, the food would be consumed within 1 min or so. They are doing a good job chasing the flakes in the water.

I'll be doing water change about 25% weekly and I have the following from Big Al's when I bought the guppies:

Seachem Stability and Prime

For the first few days, I added correct dosage of Stability to the water everyday. Now I have stopped as instruction says do the daily dosage once a day for first week, then do it every water change or adding fish.

With Seachem Prime, I added correct dosage at the beginning of the tank cycle and I'll add again when I do water change.

Hope I'm on the right track as far as treating the water with chemicals? I also heard about RO water for the tank. We have a RO water drinking system for us, am I okay to use that RO water for water change? I was using tap water when I first cycle the tank.

Thanks again for your help.


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## Y2KGT (Jul 20, 2009)

If you decide to use RO water you'll need to mix it 50/50 with tap water or add a product such as RO Right to replace the minerals removed during the RO process. If you don't treat the RO water you will have PH crashes.
--
Paul


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## htjunkie (Jul 20, 2012)

Thanks, I'll follow your instruction to have a mix of 50/50 tap and RO water when doing water change.


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## htjunkie (Jul 20, 2012)

Did another water test after a 30% water change few days ago, got these numbers now:

pH - 7.6
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 0


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## htjunkie (Jul 20, 2012)

I noticed with my tank, after water change and few days later, it would build up a thin layer of bubbles. They seem to have accumlated from the water coming out of the filter. It's a Fluval Chi so filtered water would pour out of the box back into the tank.

Usually if I re-arrange the rocks in the box, the bubbles would go away but they sometimes accumulate back. These bubbles don't fill up the entire water surface, just doesn't look too nice. Normally with a water change, for sure it would be okay for few days.


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## des (Jul 30, 2011)

Hi htjunkie, welcome to the forum and congratulations on your new tank; it's an attractive looking one.

If you have a properly cycled tank, you should have nitrates present. Even if it's very little. Your last water test with all zeros is not a good sign that's it's cycled. I mean having all 0s just means the water is safe for the fish but at the same time you want to have that build up of beneficial bacteria present. I hope this is making sense you to.

Anyway, keep in eye on ammonia or nitrite. Keep us posted.


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## Fishyfishyfishy (Mar 3, 2008)

htjunkie said:


> Thanks, I'll follow your instruction to have a mix of 50/50 tap and RO water when doing water change.


What are you planning to keep? There is absolutely no need to use RO water for guppies.

As for the water parameters, do not worry at all. Guppies will not die, they are fish for cycling tanks. That is what they are good for.


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