20g aquarium, running for 3 weeks now. Started with 3 swordtails and 3 platy, down now to 1 healthy swordtail and 2 healthy platies. Was using strips to test but finally got the liquid test kid and apparently I have an ammonia problem.
I also used tetra safe start plus when I first cranked up the aquarium three weeks ago. Filter is penguin 150, replaced the carbon cartridge with two aquavlear sponges and seachem matrix.
Have been testing with that kit for 3 days and consistently get .25 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 5-10 nitrates. Ph is 7.8ish. Over the last three days I have done a 50% and a 33% water change, treated daily with prime and seachem stability.
We also had a bad bout of ich that seems to be gone after three cycles of nox ich and raised temps. It's been a busy three weeks.
So what should be my game plan moving forward. How do I get that .25 ammonia down to zero before adding any new fish?
I also used tetra safe start plus when I first cranked up the aquarium three weeks ago. Filter is penguin 150, replaced the carbon cartridge with two aquavlear sponges and seachem matrix.
Have been testing with that kit for 3 days and consistently get .25 ammonia, 0 nitrites, 5-10 nitrates. Ph is 7.8ish. Over the last three days I have done a 50% and a 33% water change, treated daily with prime and seachem stability.
We also had a bad bout of ich that seems to be gone after three cycles of nox ich and raised temps. It's been a busy three weeks.
So what should be my game plan moving forward. How do I get that .25 ammonia down to zero before adding any new fish?