7.2 = PH
0 - 0.50 = Ammonia
0 - 0.25 = Nitrite
0 - 0.25 = Nitrates
N/A = salinity
2) 1 one inch M. cochinchinensis, 2-3 glass shrimp, snails (unknown factor)
3) I have changed the water by anywhere from 10 to 50% about everyday and with RO water. 2 teaspoons of stress coat and 1 for every 50% water change I preform. 1 spoonful of formula T (plant fertilizer)
4) Placed two black aquarium backgrounds on the sides, moved the driftwood to view the puffer and back to where it was originally. Moved back floating plants into the florite plant substrates. But I preformed a water change as soon as the water became cloudy.
5) Two months or so, I placed fish food for the shrimp and snails that lived within the tank before putting in the puffer.
My Issues are
1) The chemistry results shown in the multiple of tests come out with different results. Would cleaning the test tubes with tap water alter the results. My results at the store were perfect (I compared and looked over it myself) and ideal but that counters what results I got which were less than perfect.
2) Should I change the filter within my aquatech 5-15 power filter? I have had the filter for around two months but have only had the puffer for about a week or so. Would this remove needed bacteria or would it be just what I need? Also is the aquatech 5-15 power filter a good quality one or is it not?
Inconsistent test kit results an update
Forum rules
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
Read this before posting!!
Since this board has been up, we have found there are several questions that routinely get asked in order to help diagnose problems. If you can have that information to begin with in your post, we'll be able to help right away (if we can!) without having to wait for you to post the info we need.
1) Your water parameters - pH, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrates and salinity (if appropriate). This is by far the most important information you can provide! Do not answer this with "Fine" "Perfect" "ok", that tells us nothing. We need hard numbers.
2) Tank size and a list of ALL inhabitants. Include algae eaters, plecos, everything. We need to know what you have and how big the tank is.
3) Feeding, water change schedule and a list of all products you are using or have added to the tank (examples: Cycle, Amquel, salt, etc)
4) What changes you've made in the tank in the last week or so. Sometimes its the little things that make all the difference.
5) How long the aquarium has been set up, and how did you cycle it? If you don't know what cycling is read this: Fishless Cycling Article and familiarize yourself with all the information. Yes. All of it.
We want to help, and providing this information will go a LONG way to getting a diagnosis and hopeful cure that much faster.
While you wait for assistance:
One of the easiest and best ways to help your fish feel better is clean water! If you are already on a regular water change schedule (50% weekly is recommended) a good step to making your fish more comfortable while waiting for diagnosis/suggestions is to do a large water change immediately. Feel free to repeat daily or as often as you can, clean water is always a good thing! Use of Amquel or Prime as a dechlor may help with any ammonia or nitrite issues, and is highly recommended.
Note - if you do not normally do large water changes, doing a sudden, large water change could shock your fish by suddenly changing their established water chemistry. Clean water is still your first goal, so in this case, do several smaller (10%) water changes over the next day or two before starting any large ones.
-
Mother Yoda
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2007 5:35 pm
- My Puffers: 1 GSP
- Location (country): Ohio, United States
- Location: Ohio, United States
Inconsistent test kit results an update
Last edited by Mother Yoda on Sun Mar 01, 2009 12:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.
-
edmlfc1
- Mbu Puffer
- Posts: 2011
- Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 5:03 pm
- My Puffers: Elvis (Stars & Stripes) R.I.P. 9/11/11
125G:Fahaka (Annabelle) - Location (country): U.S.A.
- Location: Texas
Re: This makes no sense... chemistry shift, odd behavior
Looks like your going through another cycle. Is there any rotting food in the tank? Sometimes with a puffer's messy eating habit food will get stuck somewhere and start to rot. Keep doing large water changes to get the amm and nitrite down to 0. You may have to do daily water changes until things settle down. Don't forget to add declorinator each water change.
Need to know what kind of puffer you have? Click on Puffer ID.....Puffer ID: ug.php/v/PufferPedia/
What to feed your puffer? Click on Feeding......
Feeding: library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/
Have a GSP, need more information......Click on GSP Article.....
GSP Article: library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/
What to feed your puffer? Click on Feeding......
Feeding: library/feeding/feeding-your-puffers/
Have a GSP, need more information......Click on GSP Article.....
GSP Article: library/puffers-in-focus/an-introductio ... d-puffers/
-
Mother Yoda
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2007 5:35 pm
- My Puffers: 1 GSP
- Location (country): Ohio, United States
- Location: Ohio, United States
Re: This makes no sense... chemistry shift, odd behavior
But that doesn't explain the bizarre behavior that my fish is having...edmlfc1 wrote:Looks like your going through another cycle. Is there any rotting food in the tank? Sometimes with a puffer's messy eating habit food will get stuck somewhere and start to rot. Keep doing large water changes to get the amm and nitrite down to 0. You may have to do daily water changes until things settle down. Don't forget to add declorinator each water change.
Re: This makes no sense... chemistry shift, odd behavior
Sure it does. Your ammonia and nitrite are both too high, and this could be what's causing the different behaviour and lethargy.
-
Mother Yoda
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2007 5:35 pm
- My Puffers: 1 GSP
- Location (country): Ohio, United States
- Location: Ohio, United States
Re: This makes no sense... chemistry shift, odd behavior
But on the other hand can you explain the chemistry inconsistencies when using the test kit?riggers wrote:Sure it does. Your ammonia and nitrite are both too high, and this could be what's causing the different behaviour and lethargy.
-
Mother Yoda
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2007 5:35 pm
- My Puffers: 1 GSP
- Location (country): Ohio, United States
- Location: Ohio, United States
Re: Inconsistent test kit results
I used the test today and it said that my ammonia is 0.50, nitrites is 0 and nitrates is 0.15.
My question is should I change the filter within the powerfilter in my tank or clean it out? Or should I do nothing.
My question is should I change the filter within the powerfilter in my tank or clean it out? Or should I do nothing.
-
Myaj
- Tech Team
- Posts: 4587
- Joined: Sat Jun 04, 2005 12:27 pm
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Bubba, turgidus
Paris, lined burrfish - Location: SE Wisconsin
- Contact:
Re: Inconsistent test kit results an update
NO! Your bacteria is trying to get established, by changing the filter media or cleaning it you'll throw out any that's managed to get going.
Water changes are your main action right now. If the filter is really gunked up, do a water change, rinse out the filter media in the bucket of tank water you siphoned out, and replace it. Do not rinse it in tap water or completely replace it with new media.
Water changes are your main action right now. If the filter is really gunked up, do a water change, rinse out the filter media in the bucket of tank water you siphoned out, and replace it. Do not rinse it in tap water or completely replace it with new media.
-
Mother Yoda
- Puffer Fry
- Posts: 42
- Joined: Wed Sep 05, 2007 5:35 pm
- My Puffers: 1 GSP
- Location (country): Ohio, United States
- Location: Ohio, United States
Re: Inconsistent test kit results an update
Alright thank you.Myaj wrote:NO! Your bacteria is trying to get established, by changing the filter media or cleaning it you'll throw out any that's managed to get going.
Water changes are your main action right now. If the filter is really gunked up, do a water change, rinse out the filter media in the bucket of tank water you siphoned out, and replace it. Do not rinse it in tap water or completely replace it with new media.