Hi, I am trying to cycle a fully stocked 20 long with the fish IN. It is lightly planted (5 smaller plants) It's been up 2 weeks (I had fear my other tank's recent crack would give way...and I RENT)
Stock:
2 sterbai corys
1 female plakat
1 single harlequin rasbora
1 single glolight danio
10 blue eyed albino neons
1 male longfin cherry barb
I have been doing 50-75% water changes day and night.
Right before the water changes, I test and The levels I'm getting are:
Nitrates vary between 5-5.5 ppm
Ammonia is almost always at 0.25ppm ( it's in my tap water - I Prime like my life depends on it)
Nitrites have been up to 1-1.5 ppm.
(Ph has tested between 7.0 and 7.6 regularly)
After the water changes, the levels return to Nitrites 0, Ammonia always at .25, and nitrites 0-.25.
Should I be asking my lfs for some seeded media, or getting more plants, or adding ammonia...or...? I can't do more frequent water changes during the week because I'm up at 4:45am and return if I'm lucky at 5pm. I don't want to screw this up. What further should I be adding/doing?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Stock:
2 sterbai corys
1 female plakat
1 single harlequin rasbora
1 single glolight danio
10 blue eyed albino neons
1 male longfin cherry barb
I have been doing 50-75% water changes day and night.
Right before the water changes, I test and The levels I'm getting are:
Nitrates vary between 5-5.5 ppm
Ammonia is almost always at 0.25ppm ( it's in my tap water - I Prime like my life depends on it)
Nitrites have been up to 1-1.5 ppm.
(Ph has tested between 7.0 and 7.6 regularly)
After the water changes, the levels return to Nitrites 0, Ammonia always at .25, and nitrites 0-.25.
Should I be asking my lfs for some seeded media, or getting more plants, or adding ammonia...or...? I can't do more frequent water changes during the week because I'm up at 4:45am and return if I'm lucky at 5pm. I don't want to screw this up. What further should I be adding/doing?
Thanks in advance for any help.
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