Hello Everyone,
I am new to this forum and have a questions regarding fishless cycling. I started about three weeks ago setting up a 55 gallon tank. At first I started adding small amounts of fish food and the recommended dosage of Nutrafin cycle every day. I tested the water each day with an old API test kit for about a week with no ammonia showing. After reading a little about pure ammonia from hardware stores and API test kits going bad, I headed out purchased ammonia (Blue Ribbon) and a new test kit. Week two I added ammonia and retested the water with the new API test kit. It went up to about 1ppm and stayed there for several days dropping to zero after about the 5th day. Week 3 I added more ammonia to the aquarium and retested the water to get an ammonia reading of 1ppm. The NitrItes went of the chart and NitrAtes are at about 80ppm. The next day I tested the water and the ammonia was 0ppm, but all others stayed the same. I have been adding ammonia every day to keep it at about 1ppm. However I am a little confused about the NitrItes being so high. I did a 30% water change think that maybe it was stuck on the NirtIte stage. The ammonia stayed a 1ppm, NitrItes off the chart, and Nitrates went down to 40ppm.
I guess my question is am I doing something wrong?
Do I need to be patient and wait until NitrItes go down on their own before doing another water change?
Thanks, and any help would be great.
I am new to this forum and have a questions regarding fishless cycling. I started about three weeks ago setting up a 55 gallon tank. At first I started adding small amounts of fish food and the recommended dosage of Nutrafin cycle every day. I tested the water each day with an old API test kit for about a week with no ammonia showing. After reading a little about pure ammonia from hardware stores and API test kits going bad, I headed out purchased ammonia (Blue Ribbon) and a new test kit. Week two I added ammonia and retested the water with the new API test kit. It went up to about 1ppm and stayed there for several days dropping to zero after about the 5th day. Week 3 I added more ammonia to the aquarium and retested the water to get an ammonia reading of 1ppm. The NitrItes went of the chart and NitrAtes are at about 80ppm. The next day I tested the water and the ammonia was 0ppm, but all others stayed the same. I have been adding ammonia every day to keep it at about 1ppm. However I am a little confused about the NitrItes being so high. I did a 30% water change think that maybe it was stuck on the NirtIte stage. The ammonia stayed a 1ppm, NitrItes off the chart, and Nitrates went down to 40ppm.
I guess my question is am I doing something wrong?
Do I need to be patient and wait until NitrItes go down on their own before doing another water change?
Thanks, and any help would be great.
