christine2012
Aquarium Advice FINatic
Omg! My post sounds ...uh, what's the word. Idk, but it sounds really bad!
jondamon said:new gravel in your tank?
New media in your filter?
These are the 2 BIGGEST places that nitrifying bacteria colonise.
You've just replaced it all. Expect to to have to recycle your tank.
You will now have to keep watching for Ammonia and Nitrites and do PWC's according to readings.
You only need to change your media in your filter when it's falling apart.
Jon
christine2012 said:You really have to abuse those bottles. Beat it like it owes you money, bang it on a hard surface for as long as possible. I beat mine until my shoulder hurts.
Infamouz88 said:You are talking about the bottles right? Hahaha jk jk
librarygirl said:With that many fish in a 20 gal I'd assume you'd be getting some nitrate; it's possible all of the water changes didn't allow the nitrates to rise. Since ammonia and nitrite just started to stay at 0, I'd hold off on water changes (unless either of them spike again, then do them, that's more important). Wait a few days and then test again; you should have at least some nitrate then. If you're using the API Kit, shake and bang BOTH bottles for 30 seconds (I tap mine against my palm or a table a few times) then vigorously shake the tube for 60 seconds and then wait 5 minutes for the results. If you don't do it exact it can cause false readings.
Also if you added gravel and media and didn't take anything away that's fine, shouldn't have disrupted the cycle at all.
FYI though you're overstocked for a 20 gal; what Plecos do you have? What filter are you using? At the very least for now I'd add more filtration if you can and think about either rehoming some fish or upgrading to a larger tank in the near future.
christine2012 said:Hahahaha I know! After I posted I went back and thought "oh, god "
BlaseMrNiceguy said:I'm thinking that all the pwc might be keeping it below readable levels. Once your at the nitrate stage you really only need to do a 50% once a week maybe 2 with your stock, as mentioned it is overstocked but you seem to be getting the grasp of things here so I know you will rehome some as soon as you can.
Bbarb27 said:If you did quite a few tests without shaking the nitrate reagent bottles well , the last few tests you do with those bottles might show abnormally high nitrates, regardless of the actual levels. I had a set of bottles that I didn't shake well enough, and kept wondering why my nitrates were so low (I attributed it to lots of plants in the tank). Lo and behold, when the reagent bottles for the nitrate tests started to get emptier, my nitrate levels suddenly skyrocketed. I tested with new, well shaken bottles and my nitrates were normal again. I think the concentration of crystals might be too high in bottles that weren't shaken well when used.