ammonia and nitrates present, no nitrite?

I just use my finger and go for about the same temperature that way.

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I use a thermometer in a cup. I do the feel method of the water when it feels about right fill up a glass and check the thermometer. When it is about right i fill.

I am still fairly new but have been through the fish cycle myself. If you just added the Beta you also have upped the bioload of the cycle.

I would continue with water changes and use thermometer's one in tank and one for incoming tank water..

Try doing fewer water changes at about 30%- maybe once or twice a week. That might help to stabilize things a bit. As far as water temp, in my opinion, it's best to match the existing tank temp a closely as you can- this will create a less stressfull environment during a water change. I use a digital food thermometer (have them at Walmart) under the tap to match the tank temp. Here is something that I made to help with this:

http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36127

It's been a while since I made that and posted it, and I couldn't get the pictures to load, but it's a step-by-step for a device that would help. Good luck.

TB

not sure what happened to your nitrite if it was there but remember nitrate is present in most water supplies so you may want to test your tap water before you can come to a full conclusion on what is going on.
Maybe only ammonia is showing up and nitrate was already there to begin with?

my tests are showing the presence of ammonia and nitrate, but no nitrite.

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It's quite possible that the nitrosomes which produce nitrate while consuming nitrite are present in sufficient quantity to accomplish this conversion before the nitrite reaches a measurable concentration. The presence of ammonia suggests that the nitrobacter population (converting ammonia to nitrite) is still somewhat behind. Frequent (moderate) water changes based on ammonia is exactly the right thing to do. Eventually these bacteria populations will stabilize at some level depending on how much ammonia the fish produce, and nitrate will increase accordingly.

I agree with Hereford, but I would also check the nitrate levels of your tap water to make sure that you are not just adding them directly to the tank on your own.

Your tank is certainly still cycling though and so you are more or less forced to do big water changes to keep your fish alive. That is one of the big problems with fishy cycling and basically, the water changes are just going to slow things down, but not stop them so do what you need to do and wait it out.

I wouldn't fall into the trap of buying too many chemicals and all that since it is all going to happen on its own and for free. The biospria product is good, I have used it myself, but I feel that it is better when dealing with a mini-cycle due to any number of problems since it provides a quick influx of bacteria, but it isnt so permanant that it can or will cycle a tank all on its own. Besides, if you are buying it from a store that does not keep it heated in a little refrigerator looking machine, it isnt going to be all that great anyways. In my area, there is only one store that keeps it heated. I have seen it at walmart as well, but again, not heated.

Tommy Gun said:

if you are buying it from a store that does not keep it heated in a little refrigerator looking machine, it isnt going to be all that great anyways. In my area, there is only one store that keeps it heated. I have seen it at walmart as well, but again, not heated.

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i thought bio-spira is supposed to be kept refrigerated. in fact, it says on the package to keep refrigerated until used.