Need quick answers

[bertie 83]

better advice than i can give is read the cycling post on this site. however there are fish in the tank? if yes then amonia needs to be kept down for the fishes sake . did you manage to get a test kit or still a no no (i had the same problem at your age lol)

[My HD PVR]

Still no test kits, barbs are in there, desperately trying to get rid of them

[bertie 83]

right my advice is keep amonia down to protect fish , this will slow down cycling process so not ideal. can you get cycled media from lfs or a friend? is anyone on this forum close enough to post some to this guy? then we got problem solved!!

[My HD PVR]

some media? for example..?

[bertie 83]

from inside filter. the sg in your tank raised too fast so bacteria died. i have some but you too far away. will get your tank cycled real quick

[My HD PVR]

send me some!! haha, if your ever in the DC area, this goes for anyone, just contact me.. my brother and i always drive up to DC over the summer...

[sevenyearnight]

Yea, but maybe I got lucky, i still had 50% of the bacteria, my filter pad, my gravel and everything... Don't complain for a possibly good thing... If ammonia lowers without my nitriates or nitrites going up... its a good thing isnt it?

No, it's an impossible thing. Your ammonia is not lowering by itself with no evidence of nitrifying bacteria.
You can't just say that it was at .25, and then a week and a half later say it's .15. Even if you had discerning enough eyesight to see that difference, there are too many human error variables, and that will still not change the facts of the nitrogen cycle. There is no magic, there are no steps of it that can be bypassed.

Doing water changes during a cycle does not slow down the cycle, that is an old myth. The bacterial colonies, once again, adhere to surfaces and are not present in the water column in any significant amount.

I'm trying to make things simple, I want you to be able to understand. and people here have been attempting to explain the cycle to you. Either you are incapable of understanding it, or you are choosing not to.
If you don't cycle your tank with the more than enough information provided to you, then I assure you that magic will not help your puffer survive.

I understand that this sounds harsh, but seriously, enough going around in circles. Many people feel that you are not capable, all the information you need is available to you, take the time to understand that information and prove them wrong.

[My HD PVR]

Then what other explanation do you have for it lowering and nothing raising... I understood what you were trying to say, but if its lowering then...? How?

[bertie 83]

i will post some but by the time it gets there will be dead so no use im afraid any one in the uk needs any tho i will send it

[sevenyearnight]

I've already explained. It's just not lowering.
Those tests are hobby accurate, even if the color *may* have been slightly lighter, there is no way, without water changes, which will of course lower the ammonia by dilution, or the bacteria colonies actively present, for the ammonia to lower.
If you don't believe me now, just watch your tests results as days/weeks pass.

[My HD PVR]

When I get an answer to this, then this could prove the initial test wrong... When testing with BW at a 1.005, do you use the SW chart or the FW chart?

[sevenyearnight]

That is tricky, the presence of salt will change the color, it gets kind of milky looking. Unfortunately there is no brackish chart, and the colors don't exactly match the freshwater or saltwater chart, so the low to mid level brackish results are difficult to decipher.

[bertie 83]

out of curiosity what are the readings for each?

[My HD PVR]

For SW hardly any ammonia, for FW in between 0 and 25.... also, fugu lives in hampton VA... I may be able to work something fugu!

[My HD PVR]

Although, its a good 180 miles away... =/ but shipping wouldnt be too costly im assuming