Hello all, this is my first post here, so hello!
So I've started my first freshwater aquarium. 24 gallon cube. I set it up almost a month ago and put a few plants in it - some java fern, anubius, foxtail, and a red plant (can't remember the name).
I ran it for about a week with just the plants, then I started adding Dr Tim's pure ammonia about two weeks ago, following the instructions on the bottle. The whole time I was testing with API Master test kit and I could see the nitrogen cycle playing out as expected. First ammonia spike, then nitrite, and the nitrates started to appear.
By last Saturday (about 5 days ago) my nitrItes were still a little high, but everything seemed to be working so I went to the fish store and picked up 6 Zebra Danios. I asked the lady if she thought this was too many to start, and she said as long as I test and do water changes as needed I'd be all good. (And yes, I know I should have waited longer on the fishless cycle, but I was excited!)
So the Danios are in their new home, and seem well enough. No sickly behavior, just a little irritable - chasing each other a lot.
I've been testing and my nitrItes keep coming up super high. EVERY DAY I've been doing minimum 50% water changes, and still they come up off the chart on the API kit. I've been overdosing on Prime to protect the fish, and again, they seem well enough.
Yesterday I finally decided to try and take this further. I did a 50% water change. Still high. I did ANOTHER 50% water change, and the test after looked IDENTICAL to the first. I held them side by side and they were literally the same color.
As a double check I tested tap water - no nitrites. And I tried a test strip and it also gave a high reading.
It seems that my water changes aren't doing anything at all...which seems scientifically impossible. I'm really frustrated. Any thoughts...?
So I've started my first freshwater aquarium. 24 gallon cube. I set it up almost a month ago and put a few plants in it - some java fern, anubius, foxtail, and a red plant (can't remember the name).
I ran it for about a week with just the plants, then I started adding Dr Tim's pure ammonia about two weeks ago, following the instructions on the bottle. The whole time I was testing with API Master test kit and I could see the nitrogen cycle playing out as expected. First ammonia spike, then nitrite, and the nitrates started to appear.
By last Saturday (about 5 days ago) my nitrItes were still a little high, but everything seemed to be working so I went to the fish store and picked up 6 Zebra Danios. I asked the lady if she thought this was too many to start, and she said as long as I test and do water changes as needed I'd be all good. (And yes, I know I should have waited longer on the fishless cycle, but I was excited!)
So the Danios are in their new home, and seem well enough. No sickly behavior, just a little irritable - chasing each other a lot.
I've been testing and my nitrItes keep coming up super high. EVERY DAY I've been doing minimum 50% water changes, and still they come up off the chart on the API kit. I've been overdosing on Prime to protect the fish, and again, they seem well enough.
Yesterday I finally decided to try and take this further. I did a 50% water change. Still high. I did ANOTHER 50% water change, and the test after looked IDENTICAL to the first. I held them side by side and they were literally the same color.
As a double check I tested tap water - no nitrites. And I tried a test strip and it also gave a high reading.
It seems that my water changes aren't doing anything at all...which seems scientifically impossible. I'm really frustrated. Any thoughts...?