Hi, I've been cycling my tank and I'm in my 5th week. Due to bad advice when setting my tank up I'm not doing a fishless cycle! I'm new to fish keeping, i've got the following; full test kit, a 230L tank, Undergravel Filtration + Small internal filter.
In the first 3 weeks i saw the ammonia level climb and drop (I was doing a 20% water change every two days) and i though that this was my cycle over. The only thing that i found odd was the nitrite level never change (it stayed a 0).
About 10 days ago the ammonia level started climbing again so i started my water changes and kept an eye on it (0.25-1.0mmg/l). It went very high yesterday 3.0mmg/l so i did a 60% water change and it's come down again.
Had a fish dead this morning.... went to my lfs and he told me to leave my test kit alone leave my tank to settle of 10day regardless of the ammonia levels.
bad advice?!? Why have i never seen the Nitrite levels raise (it's always on 0)? Should my cycle be finished or nearly finished???
Any help would be good
Thanks
James
In the first 3 weeks i saw the ammonia level climb and drop (I was doing a 20% water change every two days) and i though that this was my cycle over. The only thing that i found odd was the nitrite level never change (it stayed a 0).
About 10 days ago the ammonia level started climbing again so i started my water changes and kept an eye on it (0.25-1.0mmg/l). It went very high yesterday 3.0mmg/l so i did a 60% water change and it's come down again.
Had a fish dead this morning.... went to my lfs and he told me to leave my test kit alone leave my tank to settle of 10day regardless of the ammonia levels.
bad advice?!? Why have i never seen the Nitrite levels raise (it's always on 0)? Should my cycle be finished or nearly finished???
Any help would be good
Thanks
James