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Ashkay

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So I’ve started off getting a few fish for my sons. They have since lost interest and being a huge animal lover it’s my duty to make sure no other fish die under my care. So I now have a 10 gallon tank I’ve been filtering for now 4 days. I actually was told to do a 50% water change because it had nitrites and nitrate. I did have test strips but I have used them all checking the temporary tank my fish are in now, my 10 gallon tank and of course the pet store sold me a pregnant platy so I’ve used some to check the baby fry tank as well. How long should I keep filtering? Should I make a 25% water change and wait to put them back in? Or wait to buy more test strips? One more thing the baby fry a really tiny but I will not have room for them when they grow. Can I donate them to a fish store?
 

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What do you mean by filtering? You are always going to have a filter going in your tank. Could you mean cycling? I’m confused.
 
Yes cycling after I removed the fish I did a 50% water change and it’s been cycling for 4 days.
 
If you are using the same filter and haven’t cleaned it in chlorine, it should still have a cycle. We need to know what your ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates are in order to know where you’re at in the cycle. They usually take about 4 weeks if you don’t have used filter media. I would go to the pet shop and buy a bottle of Safe Start and an API Master Freshwater test kit. The sticks are not accurate. We’re to help you along the way. :)
 
When I tested my water at the store she said ammonia was good. The nitrites go between 3-5. The nitrate 20, This is only for The 10 gallon tank im cycling. I’ve tested the water about 2 days ago. No I have not cleaned the filter only did a 50% water change.
 

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Ashkay said:
When I tested my water at the store she said ammonia was good. The nitrites go between 3-5. The nitrate 20, This is only for The 10 gallon tank im cycling. I’ve tested the water about 2 days ago. No I have not cleaned the filter only did a 50% water change.
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I’m just going off the bottle and idk how accurate that is unfortunately it don’t test ammonia. I’ll definitely have to go back and test it again
 
It should do an automatic cycle then but we have no way of knowing without the water tested. Is the store using tubes or strips? Once you have 0 ammonia, o nitrite, and some nitrates then you are cycled. You want to keep your nitrates below 20ppm if possible and never as high as 40ppm.
 
The store does strips. So when you say it does it automatic how long does that take? I’ve read about 4-6 weeks. How often should I test the water?
 
Ive been using the filter for about 5 weeks. Minus 2 days I had it off when I transferred my fish to a temporary tank.
 
If it remained in water while off, it has been growing beneficial bacteria during that time but 5 weeks isn’t long enough to be established yet. If you are already showing nitrates, then you are close. You need to get ammonia and nitrite to 0 and have some nitrates. I really encourage you to get the API Master test kit. Once you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites and some nitrates you are cycled. Then just do a water change to get your nitrates Below 20 ppm.
 
I’ll look into that thanks. Those pet stores only say to have a tank filtering for 24-48 hours before adding fish.
 
The most important lesson in fishkeeping is that the advice from fish store employees should never be trusted. They either don't know and will make something up or they don't care.

The first part of this link explains what cycling is, though the second part is how to cycle before fish are added, not once there are fish in the tank.

If the nitrite reading the shop gave you is at all accurate, yo need to do a water change asap as any level of nitrite other than zero is harmful for fish. As you need to test every day until the cycle is complete, you do need your own test kit. During fish-in cyclong, which is what you are doing, water changes should be done whenever ammonia and/or nitrite reads above zero.
 
So if I test everyday and it reads nitrites how much water should be changed? I first did a 50% water change then a few days after about 25% water change. I haven’t gotten a chance to buy another test kit. But I’m planning to this weekend
 
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