Is my tank cycled or close?

[Livie]

Ammonia- 0
Nitrites 0
Nitrates 5.0

Prior to this there was a large spike and after an almost full water change this is the result. Tank is 10gal and has been running almost 1 month.
What should be done from here? I was thinking of adding some Safe Start. Would that be a good idea?

 

[Mebbid]

How did you cycle the tank?

 

[Livie]

How did you cycle the tank?

With a Betta and it was never my intention to do that. I had no choice as the fish was a gift. I had no idea about the proper care for them at first, I have just been doing partial water changes to try and keep him safe. I bought another tank and it's going through a fishless cycle and I was going to move the betta to it once done but it looks like his tank is cycling faster than the other one.

 

[librarygirl]

Hi and welcome! You should go by the tests before a water change, not after. Was there ammonia and/or nitrite in the tank prior to the water change? If so then it isn't cycled yet. A tank is cycled when it can keep 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite and some nitrate on its own without water changes.

 

[Livie]

Hi and welcome! You should go by the tests before a water change, not after. Was there ammonia and/or nitrite in the tank prior to the water change? If so then it isn't cycled yet. A tank is cycled when it can keep 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite and some nitrate on its own without water changes.

Hi, thank you. Before the water change:
Ammonia. .25
Nitrites-2.0
Nitrates 80ppm

 

[Fishperson]

Well a cycled tank, by definition, is producing nitrates and shows only trace amounts (<.5 ppm) of ammonia and nitrite. You should get an API Master test kit if you don't already have one. They are cheap on ebay and amazon.

 

[fish4phil]

You've gotten some good advice here. Glad to hear you're doing water changes, as nitrites at 2 are toxic to fish. If you do a 50% water change, by its nature, will reduce your nitrites by 50%. Your tank is cycled when ammonia and nitrites are 0. Keep at it, buy the API test kit as recommended, buy some Seachem Prime, do small water changes daily, you're doing great

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

 

[Livie]

You've gotten some good advice here. Glad to hear you're doing water changes, as nitrites at 2 are toxic to fish. If you do a 50% water change, by its nature, will reduce your nitrites by 50%. Your tank is cycled when ammonia and nitrites are 0. Keep at it, buy the API test kit as recommended, buy some Seachem Prime, do small water changes daily, you're doing great

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Aquarium Advice mobile app

Thank you all for the advice. I am using the API Freshwater kit to test the parameters. I will try the Seachem Prime. Thanks

 

[fish4phil]

Please keep us posted