bamboozled any advice welcome

[chelle]

I cycling my 28l tank with 2 guppies they have been in the tank 4 weeks tomorrow I've been doing regular partial water changes (nearly every day ) I've been testing the water daily on Friday I finally had nitrites I've never been happier to see purple lol and was reading 2.0 ammonia was 1.0 I did a water change of 20% the next day there was no trace of nitrite. I've tested again today ammonia is 0.5
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5.0
I can't understand how I only have nitrite for one day 😕 but I'm happy I have nitrate but why is there still ammonia ?

[devdav]

Bacteria eating amonnia have begun to take hold and are producing nitrites as a byproduct. Your still in the middle of your cycle. Keep up the water changes and you should be fine

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[chelle]

Thank you would you recommend daily changes of 10 -20 % which is what I have been doing ? Shall I still test for nitrite
s ?

[ImACoolguy]

Yes.

When your tank can reduce all ammonia and nitrite to 0ppm in 24 hours with nitrate as the by product you are cycled.


Caleb

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[chelle]

Ok thankyou something needs to be done about pet stores I was told set tank up for a week and put fish in !! And then weekly water changes of 20% how could any fish survive this ??

[ImACoolguy]

Originally Posted by chelle

Ok thankyou something needs to be done about pet stores I was told set tank up for a week and put fish in !! And then weekly water changes of 20% how could any fish survive this ??

Better than some. I got told 24 hours when I started


Caleb

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[chelle]

It's shocking I've been so worried about my fish every morning I wake up and pray they are ok if I hadn't done my own research I would be following their advice and my fish would of probably been dead by now 😢.

[ImACoolguy]

Originally Posted by chelle

It's shocking I've been so worried about my fish every morning I wake up and pray they are ok if I hadn't done my own research I would be following their advice and my fish would of probably been dead by now 😢.

Best thing you can do is keep reading. I've learned almost everything I know from the community on here.


Caleb

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[devdav]

Originally Posted by ImACoolguy

Yes.

When your tank can reduce all ammonia and nitrite to 0ppm in 24 hours with nitrate as the by product you are cycled.


Caleb

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Yes agreed, and if your water gets cloudy in appearance do a larger water change.

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