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ryan.ahern

Aquarium Advice Newbie
Joined
Apr 20, 2014
Messages
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Hi all. I am new to this hobby and am a little bit stuck. I have been following eco23's guide to the fishless cycle. Bit of background 180l tank, medium planting, medium lighting, liquid co2, 2 x airstones, 2 x pumps/filters, filter medium obtained from a friends tank. Everything is moving pretty quick. Started cycle last saturday. I have been dosing ammonia to 4ppm and this gets down to 1ppm by the next day. Nitrites are above what my jbl test kit shows (above 1ppm) but nitrates have been sat at about 200ppm for 2 days, this isn't above what the test kit shows but pretty close. Are the plants causing the nitrates to stay at this level as they are using some of them up. Am I safe to do the first 50% water change yet or wait until nitrates are off the chart? Any help would be most appreciated:fish2:
 
Thanks for the replies. Have checked ph, sat at about 7. Dosed to 4ppm amonia last night thats gone down to below 1ppm today. Its just that the nitrates seem to be staying around 200ppm and not moving while the nitrites keep rising. Think i'll just bite the bullet and do a 50% change.
 
Sounds good - when in doubt, water change :) I'd try getting the water specs to readable levels on your test kit and then dose to 2ppm ammonia and see how it goes.
 
Welcome to the forum :)

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