I'm exactly three weeks into cycling a 55 gal (long) tank with several small fish, and I'm curious if these numbers sound normal to you. Since day one, the ammonia levels were slightly high (between .25-.50). Perhaps that was due to the fact that I was using Prime, which apparently distorts your ammonia tests. But anyway, today my ammonia level was .25, while nitrite and nitrate levels were both 0. FWIW, I'm using a emperor 400 filter and I've been doing 20% water changes every 2-3 days. Does all of this seem normal to you? Has my tank cycled or does it need more time? Thanks.
Three weeks into cycling a new tank. Do these numbers seem normal?
- Thread starter tampa4
- Start date
Gonna take a while yet. Fishie cycling takes a month at least. Suggest you read the freshwater cycling post here. Will answer all your questions about it.
Keep testing. Do water changes whenever ammonia or nitrites hit .25
When you consistently test for ammomia and nitrites and they are at zero, and you have an upward trend in your nitrate readings, you are cycled.
When you consistently test for ammomia and nitrites and they are at zero, and you have an upward trend in your nitrate readings, you are cycled.
Not there yet, you still seem to have no NitrIte you need to see that for a while and then on its own before you see NitrAte and when you finally see that on it's OWN then you are pretty much cycled.
It can take quite a while patience and maintenance are the key..
As someone already mentioned you must try and keep the reading of ammonia and nitrIte below .25 if you have fish (with water changes).
I don't think the Prime will alter your readings it still means that the ammonia the nitrite needs to eat is .25-.50 Prime just turns it into the safer compound for the fish (which is a good thing).
It can take quite a while patience and maintenance are the key..
As someone already mentioned you must try and keep the reading of ammonia and nitrIte below .25 if you have fish (with water changes).
I don't think the Prime will alter your readings it still means that the ammonia the nitrite needs to eat is .25-.50 Prime just turns it into the safer compound for the fish (which is a good thing).