lionheart
Aquarium Advice Activist
i have been doing a fishless cycle for around 4/5 weeks and also wrote a post or 2 regarding that cycle
i am now cycled
i now have ammonia 0ppm nitrite 0ppm nitrate between 40 and 60 ppm i did do a 80percent water change to get the nitrate down but still got same nitrate reading after water change
now i also just set up 3 days a go a 55gal tank
i just filled it up added water conditioner connected a heater & old filter which as not been used in months and the filter media which was inside it 2 baskets of ceramic rings and 2 course sponges also i put in base of tank on substrate 2 used filter media out my establish tank which as been established well over 12months
so tonight after i got nitrate reading from other tank which as cycled
i decided to check the nitrate in the newly setup 55gal
and it was actually lower at around 20/40 ppm which i dont understand cos its from same water supply
so i then thought i would do a test on ammonia & nitrite before i start the fishless cycle in that tank
i.e start adding ammonia
but my readings came out at 0ppm ammonia 0ppm nitrite 20/40ppm nitrate
i dont think a tank can cycle that quick just by seeding with some old used media
so i am lost as to my next step should be
i know my API fresh water liquid test kit is ok
also apart from adding plants what else can i do to get my nitrate down as my reading from tap was 40ppm
i am now cycled
i now have ammonia 0ppm nitrite 0ppm nitrate between 40 and 60 ppm i did do a 80percent water change to get the nitrate down but still got same nitrate reading after water change
now i also just set up 3 days a go a 55gal tank
i just filled it up added water conditioner connected a heater & old filter which as not been used in months and the filter media which was inside it 2 baskets of ceramic rings and 2 course sponges also i put in base of tank on substrate 2 used filter media out my establish tank which as been established well over 12months
so tonight after i got nitrate reading from other tank which as cycled
i decided to check the nitrate in the newly setup 55gal
and it was actually lower at around 20/40 ppm which i dont understand cos its from same water supply
so i then thought i would do a test on ammonia & nitrite before i start the fishless cycle in that tank
i.e start adding ammonia
but my readings came out at 0ppm ammonia 0ppm nitrite 20/40ppm nitrate
i dont think a tank can cycle that quick just by seeding with some old used media
so i am lost as to my next step should be
i know my API fresh water liquid test kit is ok
also apart from adding plants what else can i do to get my nitrate down as my reading from tap was 40ppm