I have been cycling my tank for around 4 weeks now and have been doing a fish in cycle. During the whole cycle my tank has had 0.25 ammonia and 0 nitrites and nitrates. I tested it yesterday and my nitrates were 5ppm. I re tested today as one of my guppies had given birth last night and they were somewhere between 0 and 5 today. What is causing them to drop? Also, why have I never had any readings of nitrites?
Questions about tank cycle.
- Thread starter Thomas369
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dcutl002
Aquarium Advice Addict
I would say that it is better to have Nitrates than Nitrites. Is the ammonia still 0.25?
Yes, the ammonia is still 0.25. I have been taking out 20L out of my 105L tank every other day to keep it low but still there. I am struggling to understand why I am still getting ammonia if the tank is cycled or even if it is cycled.
dcutl002
Aquarium Advice Addict
You are not completely cycled yet. Almost, but not quite. Patience.
BBradbury
Aquarium Advice Addict
- Joined
- May 24, 2011
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- 5,011
Hello Thomas...
The fish in cycle has some specific steps to follow in order to grow the biofilter and keep the water chemistry safe for the fish. The process shouldn't take more than a month. You add some floating plants to help steady the water chemistry. You feed the fish a little every day and twice a week, you remove and replace a third of the tank water. You do this for three weeks to grow the bacteria. At the end of three weeks, you start changing half the water weekly for as long as you keep the tank. If you add fish, you increase the amount of the weekly water change. That's it.
B
The fish in cycle has some specific steps to follow in order to grow the biofilter and keep the water chemistry safe for the fish. The process shouldn't take more than a month. You add some floating plants to help steady the water chemistry. You feed the fish a little every day and twice a week, you remove and replace a third of the tank water. You do this for three weeks to grow the bacteria. At the end of three weeks, you start changing half the water weekly for as long as you keep the tank. If you add fish, you increase the amount of the weekly water change. That's it.
B
