Try to keep ammonia @.25 ppm, some is needed for bacteria, but more is rough on fish. I advise using Seachem Prime or API Ammolock if the ammonia climbs despite the water changes. I used safestart and still had ALOT of ammonia problems the first couple weeks, was doing water changes every day. Curiously never found nitrites. Safestart seems to combine first 2 steps- jumped straight to nitrates...