Ammonia removing

[Veronica052208]

Hey everyone. I get started a salt water fish tank. I have a 45 gal tank. I started my cycling about a month ago. I have a live rock and no fish. According to my tests all my levels are perfect but the ammonia is 0.50. I was told to replace 25 % of my tanks water, which I've done. However my ammonia is still the same. What should I do?

 

[Sergie]

You shouldn't do any water changes with only ammonia present. The rise in ammonia will help benificial bacteria develope which inturn will feed on ammonia, releasing nitrite as a waste product. Then a new set of bacteria will form as nitrites rise which will feed on those nitrites, releasing nitrates as a waste product. Water changes will reduce the ammonia needed for the bacteria to reproduce and grow into large numbers, hindering the bacteria and the nitrogen cycle. Just let the ammonia rise and do not do a water change until ammonia is at 0, nitrite is at 0, and only nitrates are present.

 

[hackteck]

do you have any nitrates present?

 

[Veronica052208]

Yes. Not high levels though. The ammonia has gone down but everything else, but the ph, has gone up slightly.

 

[hackteck]

even nitrites? if so you probaby arent cycled yet

 

[Veronica052208]

Yeah. I'm new at this and I've been talking to a lot of people. Everyone is generally saying to leave the tank alone and let it cycle itself out.