Water test results

JenaT

New Fish
Dec 7, 2015
1
0
1
55
#1
Hi, I'm kinda a newbie, but kinda not. Anyway, have kept a single "kissing" gurami for years. Recently added more fish. So my tank is basically having to start a cycle over again. My last readings were ph-6.0, ammonia-0.50, nitrite-0, nitrate-40. That is an improvement. But, why is my nitrites 0? Is that good or bad? According to posts on forum I shouldn't use ammo-carb. So, do I just need to let it do it's thing? I have snails, isn't the ph too acidic for them? Should I adjust that? Any advice would be appreciated!! Thanks
 

arcab4

The Big Fish
The Big Fish
Oct 22, 2002
1,554
30
48
46
Sunny Southern California
#2
welcome to MFT! how big is your tank? and how long has it been running? how many fishes did you add?

nitrite at zero is good. bacteria uses nitrite to convert to nitrate. so a healthy tank should have nitrite at zero.
 

FreshyFresh

Superstar Fish
Jan 11, 2013
1,337
23
38
East Aurora, NY
#3
Jena, it's a great thing you're not seeing any nitrites. Nitrites are very toxic to fish. More so than ammonia or nitrates. Given your nitrates are 40ppm, I'd increase the amount of water you change weekly. Ideally you try to keep your nitrates to 20ppm or less between your weekly water changes.

How old is your kissing gourami? Cool fish. They can get pretty big. An avid fish keeper over on an oscar forum I frequent has had his kissing gourami for 25yrs. It's so ugly, it's cute.