question on water testing

[orangepunkins]

Could someone please tell me what the readings are on a fully cycled tank. Other than PH that can differ per tank. I'm trying to read the book that comes with the MASTER TEST KIT and I'm so confused.
Mine reads as follow
ammonia 0.25ppm - 0.50ppm
nitrite 0ppm
nitrate 10ppm
I have a 55 gal with sand substrate. a canister filter (filters up to a 75 gal)
a seasoned sponge filter. and 1 plant (I'm going to do more plants in the near future) I had taken the tank down and restarted it on sunday. EXCEPT for the filter it has been running on a tank for 3 weeks. I put it on the 55 gal on sunday.

I just tested these today. I will do a water change tomorrow when my husband can help me. I did one last night and then realized my mollie dropped her babies. I was able to save 10. I had to fight the adults off trying to feed on them.

 

[dalto]

ammonia should be 0, nitrite should be 0 and nitrate should be increasing.

Make sure you do your tests before a water change

 

[wildroseofky]

You can save more babies by adding lots of plants and feeding the adults more often. As long as I feed mine twice to three times a day most of the babies survive. You can also place a temporary hiding place in the tank. Those mesh baskets that strawberries come in work great. The big fish cannot get inside but food and water can circulate through. Since you are using previously cycled filter media you should be cycled soon. You want ammonia at 0, nitrite and 0 and nitrate under 40. I try to keep my nitrate under 20 because my mollies seen to prefer that. PH needs to stay around 6.7-7.6. My water has a high PH so mine stays around 7.6. If it falls below 6.5 my mollies go crazy and act sick.