High Nitrates during Cycling Process?

[Az3rix]

Hello guys!

I started my cycling process on Saturday, and everything is going good. My ammonia is currently at 1ppm and nitrite is at .25 ppm. However, my nitrates are currently 20ppm. Is this okay? It seems the cycling process is going well and the high nitrates aren't affecting it so far. Should I do a water change to lower the nitrates or is that normal during the cycling process? I do have some plants that are melting which might be bringing up the nitrates level too. I am just not sure what is bringing the nitrates up so high. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[Essjay]

What is the nitrate level in your tap water? That's the lowest it can be in a newly filled tank with no fish.

Nitrite distorts nitrate readings which is why we don't usually measure nitrate while there is a reading above zero for nitrite.

 

[Colin_T]

The nitrate results are false. Nitrate test kits read nitrite as nitrate and give you a false reading.

Don't bother testing for nitrates until the ammonia and nitrite have both gone up and then come back down to 0ppm. Then start testing for nitrates.

 

[Az3rix]

What is the nitrate level in your tap water? That's the lowest it can be in a newly filled tank with no fish.

Nitrite distorts nitrate readings which is why we don't usually measure nitrate while there is a reading above zero for nitrite.

The nitrate results are false. Nitrate test kits read nitrite as nitrate and give you a false reading.

Don't bother testing for nitrates until the ammonia and nitrite have both gone up and then come back down to 0ppm. Then start testing for nitrates.

Ooooooh, I wasn't aware nitrite interferes with nitrate readings. That makes a whole lot of sense now, haha. Awesome, thanks guys, I will test for that after 0ppm like you stated!