How's it going everyone? I am just getting back on these boards and into aquariums again for the first time in about 7 years, but so far so good.
I have had my 55 gallon up and running now for roughly 7 weeks after having to start again due to my previous 55 breaking. Everything in the tank, including the gravel, filter filter media, decor, and plants in the new tank was recycled. 10 days in, I had all 0 ratings for ammonia and nitrites, thus I added a few corys and 10 shrimp. The 0-0 ratings continued until 10 days later when I added 8 juvenile X-Rays and then things spiked or possibly had spiked before that as the 3 days prior I was out of town and was not able to do a test. I did 5 days of 50% water changes and since then all the results have returned to normal with Nitrites back to 0 and Nitrates sitting at 5ppm, but the ammonia is still at .25 a little over a week later. I have tested just about every day for the past 2 weeks and no change. I am using the API Master Kit, which I have heard can be hard to read.
The temperature is set to a constant 78 degrees and the filtration is 1 AC 70 and a Cascade 300, so filtration should not be a problem. The tank is well planted and I am currently using Flourish and Excel (dosed every other day) in combination with DIY CO2.
Thanks in advance for any advice and let me know if you need anything else.
I have had my 55 gallon up and running now for roughly 7 weeks after having to start again due to my previous 55 breaking. Everything in the tank, including the gravel, filter filter media, decor, and plants in the new tank was recycled. 10 days in, I had all 0 ratings for ammonia and nitrites, thus I added a few corys and 10 shrimp. The 0-0 ratings continued until 10 days later when I added 8 juvenile X-Rays and then things spiked or possibly had spiked before that as the 3 days prior I was out of town and was not able to do a test. I did 5 days of 50% water changes and since then all the results have returned to normal with Nitrites back to 0 and Nitrates sitting at 5ppm, but the ammonia is still at .25 a little over a week later. I have tested just about every day for the past 2 weeks and no change. I am using the API Master Kit, which I have heard can be hard to read.
The temperature is set to a constant 78 degrees and the filtration is 1 AC 70 and a Cascade 300, so filtration should not be a problem. The tank is well planted and I am currently using Flourish and Excel (dosed every other day) in combination with DIY CO2.
Thanks in advance for any advice and let me know if you need anything else.