Tank water questions

[ToniEgan]

Hi I just changed my axolotl‘s tank water. I took out about half of my 30 gallon and replaced it with 15 gallons of clean water. I put water conditioner in for the directions and waited three hours. When I tested it the nitrates were high and nitrates are high. I don’t even know how that’s possible if they were not high before I cleaned it. I put the little guy and a container while we were cleaning it. That container is saying that the ammonia level is slightly high. I’m not sure what to do any advice? I don’t want him to be in the water that has slightly high ammonia But don’t want to put him back in his big tank until we figure out what’s wrong

 

[wolfen]

what are the levels for the ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, ph and temperature for the tank, and the ammonia, ph and temperature for the container.

 

[wolfen]

also which conditioner are you using

 

[ToniEgan]

Ph was fine about 7.4 the first pic is nitrate - looks ok…the nitrite was fine. Last pic is ammonia. The water conditioner is api. These are the readings for the little temporary tank I have him in. I can fix the big tank tomorrow I just don’t wanna leave him in some thing overnight that is going to potentially calls him harm

 

[ToniEgan]

Oh and temp is 63

 

[ToniEgan]

This is him … he seems ok but I get so worried about him

 

[wolfen]

Looking at the chemical composition for api conditioner the main ingredient (also the main chemical used to de-chlorinate) is sodium thiosulphate, this chemical reacts with chlorine in the water neutralising it, but in the water there is also chloramine which when sodium thiosulphate removes the chlorine it leaves ammonia, hence why you are getting readings of ammonia in the containers water.
As to the ammonia in the container this is actually two ammonia chemicals not one (the test measures TAN total ammonia nitrogen NH3 + NH4), NH3 is free ammonia which is toxic, NH4 is ammonium which is non-toxic.
You can use an ammonia calculator to work out how much is safe or not, so ph 7.4, temp 63, TAN 0.25ppm, = NH3 0.002ppm which is very safe.
NH3 0ppm > 0.025ppm safe, 0.0255ppm > 0.05ppm warning, 0.055ppm > deadly.
With ph 7.4 and temp 63 even with a TAN test reading 2ppm the NH3 is still within safe limit (although by that time the water itself wouldn't be very pleasant to be in).
So all in all your axie is quite safe in the container though I would recommend adding an air stone for oxygenation.
what are you tank levels now

 

[ToniEgan]

Thank you - he's doing great. I just have to figure out what is going on with the big tank. I really appreciate your help.

 

[wolfen]

Thank you - he's doing great. I just have to figure out what is going on with the big tank. I really appreciate your help.

chances are its just muck in your filters, give them a clean in old tank water and perhaps topping up the nitrifying bacteria wouldn't hurt.