Question about tap/dechlorinated water

[Verbone626]

I have 3 chines fire belly newtsIs it okay to add tap water to a take that i dechlorinated with api stress coat conditioner? Im asking because i put in ice cubes made from tap water and i want to make sure its okay. Since there frozen, i cant add drops. And also can anyone tell me the proper levels for nitrogen, ammonia, nitrate ect? Im going to test the water soon

 

[Chinadog]

Ammonia and nitrite should be zero in a cycled tank, nitrate should be below 40ppm but lower is always better. Instead of ice cubes, why not freeze a small plastic bottle 3/4 full of water? Just float it in the tank until it melts them re freeze. If you have more than one there will always be one in the freezer ready for when the other melts.

 

[Verbone626]

I used to do that but i eventually lost track of the schedule and stopped sadly-.- i just throw in ice cubes usually when i dont have cold dechlorinated water ready in the fridge. Only because we have 4 ice trays that are always full hah. But ill switch back to the frozen bottles for my plan b then. Out of curiousity, what could happen when the levels are off? I know its bad but id like to know for my safety. Anything severe?

 

[Chinadog]

Ammonia and nitrite are toxic and anything other than the faintest trace is a problem. You should only be able to detect either while a tank is cycling. Nitrate isn't a problem in low levels (below 40ppm) but in my experience higher levels can cause appetite suppression, stunted growth and compromised immune systems. Most of my experience is with freshwater fish but Axolotls seem to suffer similar effects.
It would be worth looking up the nitrogen cycle on google, anyone who keeps aquatic animals should be familiar with that. Hope this helps.

 

[Jan]

Regarding water quality, have a look at these articles:

Caudata Culture Articles - Cycling

Caudata Culture Articles - Water Quality

Caudata Culture Articles - Bottled Water for Amphibians