- filled 40 gallon aquarium little over 3 weeks ago
Started off by adding fish food to start the cycle but after a week of testing for ammonia with none showing up I went out and bought some pure ammonia(free of perfumes, soup, etc)
Tanks temp- 85 degrees with lots of surface agitation and a power head for circulation.
- added to much ammonia. Levels was off the charts so I did a very large water change. (50%)
- put filter media and rocks from established tank in 40 g
- 2 days later tank began to test positive for nitrites.
Began adding around a teaspoon of ammonia daily
- after a week nitrite levels were off the chart and tank tested positive for nitrates
Cut back daily dosage of ammonia by half for three days( during these days I ran out of test strips but then went out and bought the api master test kit which I find to.be alot more accurate )
water chemistry 2 days ago-
Ammonia - 8ppm
nitrite - 0 ppm
nitrate - 30 ppm
After seeing how high the ammonia level was I haven't added any since I got the master test kit.
Todays water chemistry -
Ammonia - 4 ppm
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 40ppm
So I am a little confused and almost feel as if I added to much ammonia and messed up the cycle. I know a tanks said to be cycled if you add enough to make it 5ppm and then 12-16 hours later you don't have ammonia or nitrite in your tank. It has taken 2 days for the ammonia level to go down 4 ppm. Any suggestions as to what I should do? Is this normal or abnormal?
I would rather not start over since I use de ionized water and the replacement cartridges are expensive
Started off by adding fish food to start the cycle but after a week of testing for ammonia with none showing up I went out and bought some pure ammonia(free of perfumes, soup, etc)
Tanks temp- 85 degrees with lots of surface agitation and a power head for circulation.
- added to much ammonia. Levels was off the charts so I did a very large water change. (50%)
- put filter media and rocks from established tank in 40 g
- 2 days later tank began to test positive for nitrites.
Began adding around a teaspoon of ammonia daily
- after a week nitrite levels were off the chart and tank tested positive for nitrates
Cut back daily dosage of ammonia by half for three days( during these days I ran out of test strips but then went out and bought the api master test kit which I find to.be alot more accurate )
water chemistry 2 days ago-
Ammonia - 8ppm
nitrite - 0 ppm
nitrate - 30 ppm
After seeing how high the ammonia level was I haven't added any since I got the master test kit.
Todays water chemistry -
Ammonia - 4 ppm
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - 40ppm
So I am a little confused and almost feel as if I added to much ammonia and messed up the cycle. I know a tanks said to be cycled if you add enough to make it 5ppm and then 12-16 hours later you don't have ammonia or nitrite in your tank. It has taken 2 days for the ammonia level to go down 4 ppm. Any suggestions as to what I should do? Is this normal or abnormal?
I would rather not start over since I use de ionized water and the replacement cartridges are expensive