What have i done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[alex281]

Bare with me on my lack of explanation as my test card(api master testkit) has flown away with the recent winds.

Ok, so i started cycling my tank a while back and my results have been the following

Ammonia= just about 0
Nitrite= super dark purple, between 2 and 5 i think,
Nitrate= super dark red, i think 160

Now get this, I got a sponge and attached it to some pvc to scrub the dark brown alge off my tank, however it was night time and i only tested it by scratching away not even a tad of algae.

I just found out that the sponge wasnt aquarium safe and now here are my results.
Ammonia= a tad green, pretty sure that was .50
Nitrite= light blue, i think that was 0 which is freaking me out how it dropped so much
Nitrate= light orange, which was about 10 to 20, which dropped from 160+

How far back did this set me in terms of cycling?
If i were to buy some of the bacteria from the pet store, is it safe to add with my fish in the tank?
What the hell should i do about that algae now, leave it, or buy an aquarium sponge and scrub it?

EDIT: i went and bought a proper sponge and some stress zyme. no need for panic
Thanks in advance.

[stucco]

Are you adding ammonia?
I wouldn’t use the stress stuff from the fish shop and for the algae try and turn off the light.

[bsfman]

Bare with me on my lack of explanation as my test card(api master testkit) has flown away with the recent winds.

Ok, so i started cycling my tank a while back and my results have been the following

Ammonia= just about 0
Nitrite= super dark purple, between 2 and 5 i think,
Nitrate= super dark red, i think 160

Now get this, I got a sponge and attached it to some pvc to scrub the dark brown alge off my tank, however it was night time and i only tested it by scratching away not even a tad of algae.

I just found out that the sponge wasnt aquarium safe and now here are my results.
Ammonia= a tad green, pretty sure that was .50
Nitrite= light blue, i think that was 0 which is freaking me out how it dropped so much
Nitrate= light orange, which was about 10 to 20, which dropped from 160+

How far back did this set me in terms of cycling?
If i were to buy some of the bacteria from the pet store, is it safe to add with my fish in the tank?
What the hell should i do about that algae now, leave it, or buy an aquarium sponge and scrub it?

EDIT: i went and bought a proper sponge and some stress zyme. no need for panic
Thanks in advance.

Test again tomorrow. Perhaps your nitrites have completely cycled. I've had quirky nitrate results in the past too. But when I retested, I found I had used 8 drops each of nitrate chemicals rather than the 10 drops each called for. (Easy to experience a brain fart confusing the drops count between ammonia and nitrates!) That'll make your nitrates orange instead of red! I doubt the sponge hurt anything in your system.

[keith_r]

the might help
http://www.americanaquariumproducts.com/Downloads.html

make sure you shake the bottles as noted in the instructions

[alex281]

Thanks for the replies!

As for adding ammonia, the only thing that goes in the tank is fish food(rarely), other than the stress zyme i just bought.

I will definitely test again today and throw in the edit, but i really dont think the nitrites have completely cycled over night, as it was stuck there for over 2 weeks and ive been testing very frequently

Thanks for the chart! it Confirmed the results With my brain :P

[alex281]

found a previous picture of test results taken on 11/26/2011

And todays of 12/10/2011

Note: the one with the card is the older pic.
Second Note: The top shows the tests for

High range Ph. Ammonia. Nitrites. Nitrates.

[keith_r]

don't use aquaria chemicals in your ap system.. unless you are very sure about what is in them, most aren't made for fish you plan on eating

[alex281]

don't use aquaria chemicals in your ap system.. unless you are very sure about what is in them, most aren't made for fish you plan on eating

Thanks for the heads up! But ill be sticking with goldfish for quite some time, does the stress zyme have an ill effect on the plants?

[urbanfarmer]

It looks like it's just bacteria and water. If that's true, then it's fine for both, but in reality you don't need this stuff whatsoever.

MSDS
http://cms.marsfishcare.com/files/msds/ ... 112409.pdf

Regarding the question on the plants, yes if there were carcinogens or toxins in the product, the plants would definitely absorb it. However, it would depend on so many factors if it would actually harm you.

[alex281]

It looks like it's just bacteria and water. If that's true, then it's fine for both, but in reality you don't need this stuff whatsoever.

MSDS
http://cms.marsfishcare.com/files/msds/ ... 112409.pdf

Regarding the question on the plants, yes if there were carcinogens or toxins in the product, the plants would definitely absorb it. However, it would depend on so many factors if it would actually harm you.

Very enlightening! Thank you!