Hello everyone.. I am new to this but it sounded like fun for my free time, i'm sorry if these are dumb questions , just want the fish to do good.. I got a tank about a month ago and started trying to cycle with fish.. 20 gallon tank with 5 glofish tetras and 3 platys.. I used Tetra safestart live filter bacteria as the bottle said to and have done everything right to my knowledge. I have been testing with test strips everyday or everyother day, and the ammonia was up but have yet to get any nitrites/nitrates.. I thought maybe the strips are bad so i got the API master test kit today and did a test with these results..
ammonia - 4ppm
nitrite - 0ppm
nitrate- 0ppm
ph- 7.2 +
It's been like this for 3-4 weeks i'm guessing and was wondering if i did something wrong for the nitrites/nitrates to not start up? I've got mixed answers on water changes during this time, some people said to do big water changes when ammonia gets so high and others said not too because it will get rid of the bacteria, but have done a few water changes when the test strips said ammonia was up to around 8ppm.. Any ideas on what I should do or not do? Thanks to all who try to help.. I'm just worried for the fish.. thanks
-edit- Forgot to mention that as i bought everything I had no idea of the nitrogen cycle until i started researching.. Pet store workers didn't mention it???
ammonia - 4ppm
nitrite - 0ppm
nitrate- 0ppm
ph- 7.2 +
It's been like this for 3-4 weeks i'm guessing and was wondering if i did something wrong for the nitrites/nitrates to not start up? I've got mixed answers on water changes during this time, some people said to do big water changes when ammonia gets so high and others said not too because it will get rid of the bacteria, but have done a few water changes when the test strips said ammonia was up to around 8ppm.. Any ideas on what I should do or not do? Thanks to all who try to help.. I'm just worried for the fish.. thanks
-edit- Forgot to mention that as i bought everything I had no idea of the nitrogen cycle until i started researching.. Pet store workers didn't mention it???