Fish-IN Cycle! Advice needed

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dewQ

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Mar 19, 2017
Messages
4
Location
Boston
Hi, I am trying to cycle a fully stocked 20 long with the fish IN. It is lightly planted (5 smaller plants) It's been up 2 weeks (I had fear my other tank's recent crack would give way...and I RENT)

Stock:
2 sterbai corys
1 female plakat
1 single harlequin rasbora
1 single glolight danio
10 blue eyed albino neons
1 male longfin cherry barb

I have been doing 50-75% water changes day and night.

Right before the water changes, I test and The levels I'm getting are:

Nitrates vary between 5-5.5 ppm
Ammonia is almost always at 0.25ppm ( it's in my tap water - I Prime like my life depends on it)
Nitrites have been up to 1-1.5 ppm.
(Ph has tested between 7.0 and 7.6 regularly)

After the water changes, the levels return to Nitrites 0, Ammonia always at .25, and nitrites 0-.25.

Should I be asking my lfs for some seeded media, or getting more plants, or adding ammonia...or...? I can't do more frequent water changes during the week because I'm up at 4:45am and return if I'm lucky at 5pm. I don't want to screw this up. :blink: What further should I be adding/doing?

Thanks in advance for any help.
 
Last edited:
So I went to my LFS and did ask for some media....it was busy in there and the guy kind of balked, under his breath saying they don't tend to do that for liability reasons. (He asked me how much my fish cost) I got where he was going, so I didn't put it. I had already decided to try some Tetra Safe Start and he agreed with that. So I got the bottle and dumped it in yesterday afternoon.

I tested tonight and got 0 nitrite, 0 ammonia, and 7 nitrates. I will not do a water change until this weekend, and will test every night until then All fish seem normal, water clear. Here's hopin'.
 
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