Weird cycle

[Masquinongy69]

Hi all,
Brand new to aquariums. 1st tank. 55 gal with Sunsun 304B filter. Setup for GloFish (my daughters tank). 4 GloFish tetra, 2 Platy’s, 2 green Cory’s 4 mollies (2 black and 2 Dalmatian), and 1 black skirt tetra. Tank has been up for about 3 weeks. So on 9-1, water readings were
Ph 8.2
Ammonia .25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 30-40

9-6 water readings were
Ph - 8.2
Amonia .25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 40-80 (stupid colors are EXACTLY the same shade on the test kit)

I’m curious why I have ammonia, but no Nitrites, and the Nitrates are rising ?

Is my tank already cycled ? I guess I could be misreading the ammonia. The Nitrite is the easiest test to read and it’s blue like the sky

Did a 20% water change tonight (gravel Vac) Added a capful of Prime (I have well water - there’s no chlorine, but the calcium hardness is like 300 coming out the faucet.

Just want to make sure my daughters fish stay healthy . Any help would be most appreciated.

 

[King Fisher]

You might test your tap water for nitrates. Also, what test kit are you using. If it's API master test kit for freshwater then you really have to shake the nitrate bottles and even bang it against your hand while you do this.

You are obviously doing a fish in cycle so you need to keep the ammonia at .25 ppm....no higher than .50ppm. if your nitrates are in fact 80 or even 40 ppm I would be doing larger water changes....like 50%.

I'd say you are either mid cycle or close to the end of the cycle but that's hard to tell from two tests. Continue testing as you have been.

On your fish's school size.....once you are cycled, I would add a couple more tetra, 4 more platy, and 4 more Cory's,