Chino1130
Aquarium Advice Activist
Hey folks. I began my fishless cycle of my new 25 gallon tank on Sept 21. The cycling has been going to plan until last night.
Sept-22 -4:00pm
Nitrates > 4ppm
Nitrites = 0
Nitrates - didn't take a reading (probably should have)
Sept 26 - 3:30pm
Ammonia < 1
Nitrites > 5
Nitrates >20/<40
I added more ammonia and got it back up to 4ppm.
Sept 27 - 7:30am
Ammonia = 1
Nitrites > 5 (I'm guessing between 6-8)
Nitrates = 40-80ppm
I added more ammonia and got it to 4-6ppm.
Sept 27 - 9:30pm
Ammonia <.5
Nitrites > 5 (6-8)
Nitrates = 5-10ppm ???
I tested the nitrates again 20 minutes later after getting ammonia back to 4ppm, and got the same reading.
Sept 28 - 6:15am
Ammonia = .5-1ppm
Nitrites > 5
Nitrates = 5-10ppm ...???
I have a few small plants in there with no Co2 (waiting on my diffuser), so I don't think that's it. I'm totally baffled on what could be happening. I've tested the nitrates of my other tank (almost 1.5 years old now) and got the readings I expected, so I don't think I'm getting false readings.
Sept-22 -4:00pm
Nitrates > 4ppm
Nitrites = 0
Nitrates - didn't take a reading (probably should have)
Sept 26 - 3:30pm
Ammonia < 1
Nitrites > 5
Nitrates >20/<40
I added more ammonia and got it back up to 4ppm.
Sept 27 - 7:30am
Ammonia = 1
Nitrites > 5 (I'm guessing between 6-8)
Nitrates = 40-80ppm
I added more ammonia and got it to 4-6ppm.
Sept 27 - 9:30pm
Ammonia <.5
Nitrites > 5 (6-8)
Nitrates = 5-10ppm ???
I tested the nitrates again 20 minutes later after getting ammonia back to 4ppm, and got the same reading.
Sept 28 - 6:15am
Ammonia = .5-1ppm
Nitrites > 5
Nitrates = 5-10ppm ...???
I have a few small plants in there with no Co2 (waiting on my diffuser), so I don't think that's it. I'm totally baffled on what could be happening. I've tested the nitrates of my other tank (almost 1.5 years old now) and got the readings I expected, so I don't think I'm getting false readings.