What does this mean?

[San Raphael Catfish]

What does this mean?

[TheTodd]

It looks like a tank that is cycling still. Cycled should have zero ammonia and nitrites. Nitrates will be there after, which can be lowered by water changes.

What do you have going on in your tank???

[San Raphael Catfish]

Confused by Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate all being present with the majority being Nitrate.

You can see that the nitrates are there now. So are you saying nitrates show up during that cycle and not at the end. Or there will be a LOT more of them at the end, over 20 PPM?

As per what I have been doing. Did a 20 percent water change 2 days ago when when reaching 20ppm on nitrates.

Feeding a small pinch of marine flake food three times a day to the 3 mollies and 1 chromis.

I have an LED light on the tank. Currently running a HOB filter and Canister filter.

Live sand, and DIY live rock. Water is Primed tap water. Salinity is 1.023 as per refractometer.

SRC <><

Just tested nitrate of tap water vs nitrate of tank water. Tap is left, tank is right. Obviously I have nitrates in tank. Hmmm.

[TheTodd]

How long have the readings looked like that? In the end, the ammonia and trites should zero out and you'll usually have high trates. Up to that point, all three can bounce around. I'm on my phone, so kinda hard to see true colors, but looks like you've got all three present now

[San Raphael Catfish]

This is day three of these readings. Hmm.

[54seaweed]

Looks like your tank is still in cycling stage

when your cycle finishes you will see it

ammonia will be 0
nitrites will be at 0
nitrates will still be present till you do a big water change to bring them down

your on day 3 you have a ways to go

[San Raphael Catfish]

Originally Posted by 54seaweed

your on day 3 you have a ways to go

Day three of this reading.