Help with my readings

[Zombies]

Hello, my 20 gallon tank has been running for over 2 months now. I used a sponge from my friends well established filter to start mine up. I've had two young green spotted puffers in it, I frequently test the water and this is what it's been looking like:

Ammonia 0.8
Nitrite 0.1
Nitrate 5

I run a Aquaclear 150 (turns the water about 7 times an hour). The filter has two sponges and the carbon pouch. I've been changing the water every second or third day to keep the toxins down by why aren't they at zero? will this fix itself eventually? The puffers appear healthy and happy. White tummies, big appetites and active.

 

[MasterDrummer]

water changes helped me and if your tank is cycled it should get down to zero if you keep doing the water changes.
good luck

 

[kev_kb]

Water changes shouldn't affect the cycle. Wehn your tank is fully cycled your Ammonia and Nitrite readings will be 0, so I guess you still have some cycling to do.

 

[Zombies]

Goodness...is there anything I can do at this point to hurry it up a bit? Since the tank is brackish doing water changes ever second day is a little impractical.

 

[Aquascaper]

Have you tested your tap water for trace elements of ammonia, nitrite & nitrate?

2 months is a long cycle when using established filter media (mine took 3 days)

 

[Zombies]

Yes, I have tested the tap water, not a trace of any of those elements.

 

[robbrouse]

Water changes shouldn't affect the cycle.

Water changes will slow down your cycle. It can make it take much longer, but you have to ask your self the main question, whtas better, extra water changes and cycle time or unhappy fish.

My last fish cycle took 3 months on a 20 gallon tank. I did 10% water chages ever 3 days. I never lost a fish they are still there alive and kicking.

My last cycle was a fishless cycle and it took 2 weeks to get levels rights (it was a 10 gallon tank) I've added fish to it now and they are all doing fine.

I will be starting a 55 gallon fishless cycle tomorrow or sunday. I will use gravel from 2 other tanks and hope to be cyceled within a month.

Good luck, Robb

 

[kev_kb]

Water changes will slow down your cycle.

Well I cycled my 20gal tank in just over three weeks with fish, from a brand new tank using Nutrafin Cycle. At some stages I was doing water changes every day to keep the Ammonia under 1ppm. From what I've read on here the bacteria is surface mounted, so most is in the filter, with some in the gravel.

As long as you have some Ammonia & Nitrite in the tank after your water change the cycle should continue as normal as your not removing the bacteria.