Bug in my tank?

[marie]

Here's a link to the various different hitch hikers you might find in your tank over the coming months

http://www.chucksaddiction.com/hitchhikers.html

[Dragon780]

thanks
thats really helpful,
and ya im thinking of taking it slow and adding a fish at a time too
and so pods are normal?
and just ammonia? what about the ph and nitrite and all that

[lastlight]

first you'll detect ammonia (really toxic), then it'll be zero and you'll detect nitrite (less toxic) and then when that is zero you'll have nitrates. Ammonia and nitrites need to be zero before you think of adding anything.

[Dragon780]

Originally Posted by lastlight

first you'll detect ammonia (really toxic), then it'll be zero and you'll detect nitrite (less toxic) and then when that is zero you'll have nitrates. Ammonia and nitrites need to be zero before you think of adding anything.

thank you what about nitrate then? and also will those testing strips work?

[lastlight]

Originally Posted by Dragon780

thank you what about nitrate then? and also will those testing strips work?

The nice thing is you get to battle nitrates for the rest of your hobby life =) Water changes being your simplest approach.

I use Elos kits... have never used strips but imagine they're a little less trustworthy.

[Dragon780]

Originally Posted by lastlight

The nice thing is you get to battle nitrates for the rest of your hobby life =) Water changes being your simplest approach.

I use Elos kits... have never used strips but imagine they're a little less trustworthy.

so nitrates fine?

[marie]

Originally Posted by Dragon780

so nitrates fine?

Nitrates won't harm fish (as long as they aren't completely out of control) but you want to keep the nitrates as close to 0 as possible because all kinds of nuisance algae thrives on nitrates