Tank Cycling

[JasonCooper]

Checking if my tank is cycled, binned the test strips and taking readings using a API Master Test Kit as previously advised.

Readings:
Ammonia 0.25-0.50ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 10-20ppm

Before I get shouted at I checked my tap water and it shows 0.25-0.50ppm after treating with dechlorinator (Tetra AquaSafe) and being left to stand for 24 hours. It is actually towards the upper end of the scale (0.50) and the tank reading is towards the low end (0.25) judging by the colours.

Would using Prime remove the additional ammonia (is it avaiable in the UK)? Do I need to use something else to treat the tank? Or am I ok as the ammonia reading is lower in the tank than the tap?

 

[librarygirl]

Is there fish in the tank? How long have you beeen cycling? What size tank? Filter? If there are fish, what kinds and how many? If not, how have you been cycling? More info would help. You do have nitrate so that's a sign of cycling unless your tap water has nitrate in it.

 

[mr_X]

There shouldn't be any detectable ammonia in a cycled tank. If the tank is cycled, it should have processed the ammonia.

 

[librarygirl]

There shouldn't be any detectable ammonia in a cycled tank. If the tank is cycled, it should have processed the ammonia.

True. I was thinking though if the OP did a water change just before s/he tested the tank, the ammonia could be coming from the tap water before it was processed.

 

[JasonCooper]

Is there fish in the tank? How long have you beeen cycling? What size tank? Filter? If there are fish, what kinds and how many? If not, how have you been cycling? More info would help. You do have nitrate so that's a sign of cycling unless your tap water has nitrate in it.

Sorry thought the footer was set up to show that. Been cycling for three weeks now. 180 litre tank with a juwel 3.0 filter. Yes there are fish as I took the advice of the shop (my bad) 3 danio, 3 minnow and 8 platty. Been doing daily 35% water changes since asking about cycling for the last 7 days.

Just concerned about the ammonia in the tap water (showed no nitrates) presume this is chloramine but my tank shows a lower level of ammonia. Readings where taken approx two hours after a water change.

 

[JasonCooper]

Just done another ammonia test (api master) and the ammonia is showing as less than 0.25 ppm but not quite the colour match for 0 ppm.

 

[librarygirl]

Seems like you're doing well. 3 weeks isn't very long; the cycle can take anywhere from a month to 2-3 months, particularly with fish. Just don't change out or mess with the filter media. Prime is great, keep using it. It will help detoxify the ammonia to keep your fish safe until the bacteria can process it. At 3 weeks in you should be pretty close to finishing the ammonia phase and starting the nitrite phase. Did you use any filter media or anything from an established tank (plants, gravel, etc)? Odd that you're showing nitrate if your tap water doesn't have any.

The API kit can be a bit hard to read at first. In the beginning I had a hard time telling the difference between 0 and .25 (even now i sometimes have problems if the lighting in the room is wrong). To be sure, test some spring water and compare it to the tube from the tank. Get a good light source behind you and hold the tube up against the white part of the card next to the colors. If the tubes match, your tank has 0 ammonia.

 

[JasonCooper]

Seems like you're doing well. 3 weeks isn't very long; the cycle can take anywhere from a month to 2-3 months, particularly with fish. Just don't change out or mess with the filter media. Prime is great, keep using it. It will help detoxify the ammonia to keep your fish safe until the bacteria can process it. At 3 weeks in you should be pretty close to finishing the ammonia phase and starting the nitrite phase. Did you use any filter media or anything from an established tank? Odd that you're showing nitrate if your tap water doesn't have any.

The API kit can be a bit hard to read at first. In the beginning I had a hard time telling the difference between 0 and .25 (even now i sometimes have problems if the lighting in the room is wrong). To be sure, test some spring water and compare it to the tube from the tank. Get a good light source behind you and hold the tube up against the white part of the card next to the colors. If the tubes match, your tank has 0 ammonia.

Should I continue doing water changes now that my tank ammonia level is below that of my tap water?
Today's readings. Ammonia 0-0.25ppm. Nitrite 0ppm. Nitrate 20ppm.

No no filter media from an established tank.

 

[librarygirl]

No, no sense putting more ammonia back into the tank than what's already in there. I'd try to confirm that the tank really has ammonia in it though by testing against a control like spring or distilled water. Still not sure where the nitrate are coming from lol I guess it might be possible to skip the nitrite phase and go right into nitrates. Just keep testing and do water changes as needed. Keep us posted.