Help me read the water results

[bibibi]

Hi,

I am new to the hobby, and was testing my water but I am unsure how to read the results. Can you help me?
I have 20 Gallon fishtank, 3 guppies and 2 plants inside, side filter and a heater, (however my water is on 80F due to warm weather and the heater never goes on). The fish tank is 2 weeks old. Fish is inside for 10 days. (I did not know I need to "cycle", so please do not scold me). Right now I have no other option but to make my fish as healthy as possible.

I have been adding Seachem Stability since day one. On the instruction, it says the first water change should be at the end of the month.
It is the first time I tested the water today. (I read here what test to buy)
I think all came in as 0s or maybe I am wrong? can you please review the photos? And especially the Ammonia reading?
Also, my PH is very high (I think?)

My fish are very happy and active, and very hungry (I feed 1-2 times a day because I am scared the water will get bad)

 

[Guyb93]

Everything looks safe to my eyes , ph seems a little high but not dangerous, with 2 guppy’s the bio load is small and the live plants “should “ soak up nh3 no3 , but 10 days is still a very fresh tank I’d be testing every 2-3 days just to make sure but Iv only ever used a fish in cycle it’s fast and effective if your prepared to put the time into doing it , I’d cut back feeding a little to once a day or every two days for a few weeks just to give yourself a better chance

 

[bibibi]

Thank you! I will reduce the feeding. Should I still do water changes? or wait for one of the parameters to go over 0?
I am so excited to "do stuff" like water changes, I don't have the patience to wait lol. I bought the siphon thing and now keep looking when I will see poop to be able to use it for a first time I think if I change the water too early maybe I will harm the bacteria that's probably not much yet so I will keep measuring.

I'm trying to take a photo but the little fella are way too fast for me and they get very excited when I go close to the fishtank. I think they really enjoy their new home, they were super overcrowded in the pet store fish tank. So I am spoiling them now and they might have babies in the future so I think they deserve to be just few in the tank for now (and as I am learning too).I read very scary stories how adding a lot of fish at once can actually kill the fish so I think I will not do that until I am confident I know what I am doing and figure out the whole cycle and compatibility and habitat stuff.

 

[Guyb93]

Beens you have fish In there already I’d be doing water changes as there’s a constant ammonia source that will build up over time just from fish waste . I’m pretty sure changing water as long as it’s treated to remove chlorine won’t harm your beneficiary bacteria don’t quote me on it but the water holds little bacteria it’s main population is within the filter and substrate. You can buy bottled bacteria that I have personally always used in the first week of a new tank , I have no idea if it actually works or weather it’s just a marketing scheme

 

[HoldenOn]

Guy is right! Water changes are always good, especially for such a young tank. Your parameters seem good, but I would keep doing bi-daily water changes to make sure they stay down. The bacteria doesn't live in the water, like Guy said, rather living in the filter media and in the substrate, like Guy said. In fact Guy said it all!

 

[Valkyrie_Lips]

Thank you! I will reduce the feeding. Should I still do water changes? or wait for one of the parameters to go over 0?
I am so excited to "do stuff" like water changes, I don't have the patience to wait lol. I bought the siphon thing and now keep looking when I will see poop to be able to use it for a first time I think if I change the water too early maybe I will harm the bacteria that's probably not much yet so I will keep measuring.

I'm trying to take a photo but the little fella are way too fast for me and they get very excited when I go close to the fishtank. I think they really enjoy their new home, they were super overcrowded in the pet store fish tank. So I am spoiling them now and they might have babies in the future so I think they deserve to be just few in the tank for now (and as I am learning too).I read very scary stories how adding a lot of fish at once can actually kill the fish so I think I will not do that until I am confident I know what I am doing and figure out the whole cycle and compatibility and habitat stuff.

The most common water change advice to keep fish safe during cycling is test daily to do a 50% water change when you see ammonia or nitrite get over 0.25 ppm. Ideally you want to keep ammonia and nitrite under 1 ppm combined but I prefer to keep them under 0.50 ppm just to be safe.

While there are pretty much no beneficial bacteria in the water column we still want to make sure that they are getting their preferred food source (either ammonia or nitrite depending on the species) so that they can grow their numbers. Too many water changes will just mean it will take longer for them to colonize within the aquarium which is why it is recommended to keep ammonia and nitrite under 0.50 - 1 ppm combined.

 

[bibibi]

So I got a surprise last night - I have 11 or so baby fish in the tank. Looks like one of my fishes gave birth. And now I actually think the other female is also pregnant (I probably bought them already pregnant)

I am worried that my tank is not fully cycled and how this will affect the environment. It was pretty stable with 2-3 water changes a week, always everything on 0 - ammonia, nitrates, nitrites ( I had only 3 guppies in a 20-gallon tank+ plants) but with more fish, this might become a problem.

I do not intend to separate them (1st will be very difficult to catch them, I do not have a second fish tank, and also it's probably best to leave to the survival of the fittest rule, considering they will keep having babies) . Is this OK? or cruel?

My other questions are - if I have babies - should I feed more often? (I was feeding every second day because of the new fish tank). Can I compensate with water changes and feed every day (I read you need to feed fry few times a day - is this true?)

how quickly the fish will grow? Do I need to add bacteria in the fish tank? or it will naturally get there on its own - bacteria will get more and more while fry grows and I can just do water small changes?
Do I need to start testing the water every day? I do 2-3 times a week now, when I change water, and was always 0s, or maybe very slight color change to the next level on the nitrates. I even took some water in the pet store to get tested - wanted to make sure I measure it ok and my tests work. Only the PH was high there too. In the fish store they told me that trying to lower it down actually might backfire because probably all local fishes are used to the local water. They told me to put a dry well washed magnolia leaf (its a common tree where I live, and I have one in my garden too) .
I did, but it just floats on top, it didn't sink.. and I don't think anything changed with the water tbh.