Tank not yet cycled

[techo]

Newbie mistake and I'm not looking for criticism just some help.

I have had a tank up and running for about two months now and have had fish for three weeks ( 5 serpae tetra, 2 neon barbs, 2 ruby barbs) however, I am still getting readings of 0 for nitrite, nitrate, and ammonia....

And immediately after my 25% water change I got an ammonia reading of .25

What should I do?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Hi!
What size tank and what test kit are you using?
What's your tanks ph?
How often are you changing water in the tank?
Can you let a cup of water sit out overnight and test the pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate tomorrow?
Has the tank got plants?
How many and what kind?

 

[techo]

55 gallon
Standard API freshwater kit
PH at 7.6

And yes I can leave it out over night.

 

[techo]

Changing 25% once a week

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Ok,
Can you take a sample of tank water and get it checked by your LFS?
Also what's the date printed on the bottles of test solution?
Are you testing right before your weekly 25% water change and still getting 0 ammonia?
Plants?

 

[techo]

No plants all artificial and yes checking before and after.

And fish seem fine and healthy.

 

[techo]

Do not see a date printed on bottles, bought the kit three weeks ago.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

What do you have in your filter? What kinds of media?
It's very odd. IMO theres enough fish in the tank to get an ammonia reading after a week of no water change. Maybe let the tank go 10-12 days without a water change and see if you can get an ammonia reading. Make sure to test every day still and watch carefully for signs if distress in your fish. Double check your results against results from your LFS to make sure your test kits not faulty.

 

[techo]

I am using bio bags.

Just did another test and I got .25 ppm.ammonia and 0 nitrite and nitrate

 

[techo]

Sorry but what do you mean by media?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Sorry but what do you mean by media?

Anything in your filter. Like carbon, ammonia chips, ceramic rings, floss, sponge, etc.

 

[techo]

Nothing in my filter

 

[techo]

Water out of tank overnight:
.25 ammonia
0 nitrate

 

[techo]

I can swing by my LFS today. Should I try to get some sort of chemical to add to make a quick bacteria development?

Could chlorine be the issue?

How do I fix?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Nothing in my filter

Nothing? There would be something. It's not just an empty shell pumping water?

 

[techo]

I.mean there is the typical bio bag filter thing

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I can swing by my LFS today. Should I try to get some sort of chemical to add to make a quick bacteria development?

Could chlorine be the issue?

How do I fix?

Don't worry about bottled bacteria. Most of its snake oil.
What do you use now to treat the water? Get some prime if you can. IMO it the best.
3weeks isn't very long to be cycling. Don't be worried that your not getting nitrite and nitrate. There will definitely be ammonia in the tank because there are fish. So the tank is still cycling even though your not getting any readings.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

I.mean there is the typical bio bag filter thing

Just trying to figure out if you have anything in the filter that absorbs ammonia.