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sbland26

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Dec 16, 2012
Messages
57
So I had my 20 gallon for about a month now. I didn't know about cycling right away but now my tank has 1 dwarf guarami, 5 neon tetras, 2 african dwarf frogs and 3 kuhli loaches. They all seem to be doing great. I tested my water today and it was...

Ph 7.8
Ammonia .25 or lower
Nitrite 5.0 and higher
Nitrate 5.0

Can you help me out on what I need to do. I've been doing 50% water changes every day the past 4 days. The nitrites and nitrates are so high but the fish don't seem to care.

I've dissolve neutral regulator in my tap water when I do water changes. I also have used Top Fin bacteria supplement once a week and API Leaf Zone once a week for my live plants. Any advice?
 
So I had my 20 gallon for about a month now. I didn't know about cycling right away but now my tank has 1 dwarf guarami, 5 neon tetras, 2 african dwarf frogs and 3 kuhli loaches. They all seem to be doing great. I tested my water today and it was...

Ph 7.8
Ammonia .25 or lower
Nitrite 5.0 and higher
Nitrate 5.0

Can you help me out on what I need to do. I've been doing 50% water changes every day the past 4 days. The nitrites and nitrates are so high but the fish don't seem to care.

I've dissolve neutral regulator in my tap water when I do water changes. I also have used Top Fin bacteria supplement once a week and API Leaf Zone once a week for my live plants. Any advice?

Nitrites is what's high. Those need to be at .25. The basics to a fish in cycle:
1. Anytime ammonia or nitrite get above .25ppm
time for a water change!
2. Ideally keep nitrates below 40ppm, some say 20, some say 40; generally the lower the better.
 
Keeping levels at what I stated above may mean multiple water changes in one day. Everyday won't be like that but there will be days that will happen.
 
So just keep doing the water changes and testing? You think I'm on the right path for initially being ignorant about cycling?
 
So just keep doing the water changes and testing? You think I'm on the right path for initially being ignorant about cycling?

Don't worry about being ignorant, we've all been at the point of not knowing about cycling. But yes, just keep testing and do water changes as needed! Yea your on the right path :)
 
Do you think that bacteria supplement and plant food is a waste of money or beneficial at least in the beginning?
 
Do you think that bacteria supplement and plant food is a waste of money or beneficial at least in the beginning?

I wouldn't waste your money on it. It's a hit or miss, most times a miss. I would skip it
 
Gotcha. Well I guess I'll just use it up. So the plants do fine with nothing?
 
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