kim987
Aquarium Advice Newbie
Okay, so I started a new 20gal freshwater tank, doing a fishless cycle (started this on 7/31/11). Got some dirty gravel from my sisters established tank and everything. Tested my water yesturday morning and bam! Results were:
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 160ppm
So my sister goes, yay, now do a 90% water change to lower your Nitrate to 20-40ppm, and then you should be ready for fish.
So I do the water change and I dose it with prime and retest my water. My ammonia went to 1ppm! So I realized I must have Ammonia in my tap water, so I tested that it, yes indeed I do. So I do a double dose of prime. This morning I test it, and I got:
Ammonia .25ppm
Nitrite 1ppm
Nitrate 30ppm
Why did the Nitrite come back? Im going crazy!
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 0ppm
Nitrate 160ppm
So my sister goes, yay, now do a 90% water change to lower your Nitrate to 20-40ppm, and then you should be ready for fish.
So I do the water change and I dose it with prime and retest my water. My ammonia went to 1ppm! So I realized I must have Ammonia in my tap water, so I tested that it, yes indeed I do. So I do a double dose of prime. This morning I test it, and I got:
Ammonia .25ppm
Nitrite 1ppm
Nitrate 30ppm
Why did the Nitrite come back? Im going crazy!
