TygGer
Aquarium Advice Freak
I started to do a fishless cycle on my 46g tank with a raw shrimp on February 25th.
A couple weeks ago, my ammonia dropped to 0, nitrites about 5ppm and nitrates about 15ppm.
As the shrimp rotted away, my ammonia stayed at 0 and nitrites stayed constant at 5ppm. Nitrites would not decrease and my nitrates would not increase. I left everything alone for a couple weeks.
Last weekend I decided to put in another shrimp to help feed the bacteria. I tested for ammonia the next day and it increased one increment on the aquarium pharm. chart.
Today, I re-tested and ammonia is 0, nitrites is 0 and nitrates is about 5ppm.
How can nitrates decrease? I haven't done a water change.
A couple weeks ago, my ammonia dropped to 0, nitrites about 5ppm and nitrates about 15ppm.
As the shrimp rotted away, my ammonia stayed at 0 and nitrites stayed constant at 5ppm. Nitrites would not decrease and my nitrates would not increase. I left everything alone for a couple weeks.
Last weekend I decided to put in another shrimp to help feed the bacteria. I tested for ammonia the next day and it increased one increment on the aquarium pharm. chart.
Today, I re-tested and ammonia is 0, nitrites is 0 and nitrates is about 5ppm.
How can nitrates decrease? I haven't done a water change.