How long is it possible to have 0 ammonia?

[Ehult57]

Hello,
We are new to the hobby and started a 75 gallon freshwater community tank about 8 weeks ago. I am doing a fish-in cycle and started with 6 platy. After 4 weeks all of my levels were 0. At week 5 I purchased 6 serpae tetra for a total of 12 tropicals. At week 8 my levels are still 0. We have high pH (8) and I have done a few 30% water changes. All fish seem happy and healthy. Is this normal? I keep waiting for a spike in something but keep getting zeros. Thanks for your support!

 

[Fishperson]

I am no expert because I haven't cycled a tank before, but I am cycling my 20H right now. However, I have done tons of research, and have read tons of articles and posts on this forum. You didn't get a spike of anything ever?
It seems like your cycle finished on the 4 or 5 week mark. As long as your levels are at zero, you are fine...
Good luck!

 

[TOMatt]

What are your nitrites and nitrates at? What are you using to test?
Your ammonia and nitrites should stay at 0 once the tank has cycled.

 

[Ehult57]

I'm using the API master test kit. I may have gotten a 0.25 ammonia reading but it's so hard to tell the difference on the test kit between true "yellow" and "yellowish" green. I have never had any sign of nitrites or nitrates. I hope my aquarium experience continues to be this pleasant. I am a little paranoid after doing a good amount of research and hearing of other's problems. I'd like to add some more fish to the tank but I don't want to rush things.

 

[rider6]

You might want to take some of your water daown to a lfs to get it tested...don't do a pet store if you can...petsmart uses the strips...and as I hear are highly inacurate...

I say this because I was at my lfs...owner has been keeping both fw and salt for over 30 yrs..so highly experianced. But he ran into a problem, an salt owner brought in his water and did a test with his api kit, and ron...the lfs owner seeing something odd aswell tested the same batch of water with his kit and got different readings, so he opened some new chemicals and re tried from anew bottle and got slightly different readings...

All this being said, some of the kits give off readings, you should have lot numbers and exp dates on the individual bottles of chemicals..you might want to find your lfs and go there...have them test a sample of your water...and if its different have your kit in hand and test you batch of water. If its different take pics of it all and email that to api so if there is an issue with batches of test chemicals we can get that hashed out quickly...and then possiably get some new ammo test chem and you will be back on the right track....I doubt you have no ammo in your tank...unless your fish don't poop...lol

Good luck man and I hope I helped.

 

[librarygirl]

Is the API kit new? Does it have expiration dates on the bottles? When you do the ammonia test, are you adding drops from both ammonia bottles and in the correct order then waiting 5 minutes for the result?

Also try doing the nitrate test over and shake and bang both nitrate bottles for 30 seconds (I slam mine on the palm of my hand a few times or on a table), add the correct amount of drops from both bottles in the correct order, then shake the tube vigorously for a full minute and wait 5 minutes for a result. The test can give inaccurate readings if not done correctly. If you have some nitrate then the tank may already be cycled (assuming your tap water doesn't have nitrates). If not, then it may just be not enough of a fish load to start seeing numbers on the test kit.

A 75 gal is a good sized tank and you're pretty lightly stocked so the larger volume of water is dissipating the toxins more.

For the ammonia test, if you aren't sure if it's green or yellow, try testing some distilled or spring water and compare it to the tank's test; it'll be easier to tell that way if there's some green in the tube. You can also try looking at the tube from underneath, sometimes it's easier to tell the color that way too.

 

[marsh]

One other tip I've heard is to vigorously shake the test tube with the water before adding drops to aerate the sample.

In my experience the 0.0 ammonia is very obviously devoid of any trace of green, which is not as true with the salt water ammonia test. I agree you should do a test tube of pure water and compare.

Also; my tap water had nitrates at 10.0 ppm to begin with, until I did a base test that was a confusing issue for me. Some tap water also has ammonia.

 

[Coz]

I dont see how your tank could be cycled without nitrates. Are you adding anything that could be messing with your ammo readings?

 

[Ehult57]

Thank you for all of the ideas. I have been very careful to execute the API tests as instructed (order and time). The batch expectation date is 2017. I just completed the tests again and followed your suggestions of extra shaking and testing purified water. The tests came back the same. Looks like 0-0.25 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 0 nitrate. I'll see if I can post a picture of the results. The purified water came back with the same results. I even checked the pH of the purified and it came back 7.0 as expected. I am beginning to think my fish aren't producing enough poop/pee? I do have high alkaline high pH 8.0 well water. We also have a water softener.

 

[Ehult57]

1st pix is ammonia

2nd is nitrite
3rd is nitrate

 

[tharge26]

From all my research and advice from more of the seasoned aquarists on here. NitrAtes are a good sign of beneficial bacteria as this is the waste product from them. If you are showing 0 NitrAtes then I would think your beneficial bacteria has all been killed off and your water is "too" clean. Can there be such a thing? yes.

On the good side though if you have zero ammonia.. you must be doing some major water changes as this is produced from the fish's waste, Eithe way it doesn't add up.