How do I reduce ammonia and nitrate? Need help right away!

[Aqua67]

Why is this?

I’m sure Slaphppy7 will answer for themselves but I would say it is to give Prime a chance to do its thing, and to give the water change a chance to fully circulate in the aquarium and mix/dilute the existing aquarium water. It does makes logical sense. I know I over-test my water and I go through periods when I am almost obsessed with the water.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Why is this?

Some water conditioners (Prime, for example) convert harmful ammonia into harmless ammonium, but the API liquid test for ammonia cannot differentiate between the two; testing right after a WC, when the ammonia has been rendered non-toxic, will result in a false positive for (harmful) ammonia.

Waiting 24H also gives the BB colony and plants (if present) time to process the ammonium, resulting in a negative test for ammonia after that time period, IF there's an adequate BB colony (or fast growing plants) to consume the given amount of ammonium present.

 

[Animallover😍]

Well now I can explain myself.
One day, my neighbours son, who is quite young, called me saying he's got a new fish tank, and he called me knowing I keep fish. I said I'd meet him the next day and explain all about fishkeeping, and so I did. However, I didn't get much time to explain, but I explained about the nitrogen cycle (simplifying it so that he would understand), cycling the aquarium, the best fish for his tank, etc. His tank was a set, and it is a 6 gallon. I said I'd only recommend a betta and/or shrimp. The set came with a net, a bad brand of beneficial bacteria, an inbuilt filter, a cover and a light. I will send a picture, but this is what it generally looks like.

SOBO Mini Aquarium Set T-290F T-820F Black White Blue Red Colour 17L | Lazada

SOBO. fish aquarium full set murah. aquarium ikan full set kecil. fish tanks aquarium set. small aquarium full set. akuarium ikan full set. Model: T-290F Black). Aquarium Capacity: 17L. Water Pump: 10W. LED Light: 5W. Size: 290*220*340. Model: T-290F White). Aquarium Capacity: 17L. Water Pump...

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so I gave him my fluval beneficial bacteria, some prime, and some black aquasoil, and told him I'd get back to him regarding cycling. However, I was unable to, and on the weekend, he came over and told me he'd got some guppies. I was exasperated, but I came over to see them. he said he's going on holiday and was asking if I could look after the fish for 3 days. so I quickly took them and brought them over to my 15g. There were 10 guppies, and 2 harlequin rasboras. I moved my male betta Disco (who was in my 15g) to another storage box which was 8g. Disco had been in the 15g (which is a black storage box) because I was redoing his 10g and it is in the middle of a darkstart. I'd moved Disco's original plants to the 15g(an anubias, a java fern, and some pelia and java moss). the 15g had a small sponge filter only, and hadn't been water changed for 2 weeks. however I didn't think to change the water. so I moved disco to the 8g, with most of the plants and just a simple air stone and thought he'd be ok because of the plants. Unfortunately he got a little shock and got a little bit of a problem swimming(swim bladder disease). so I fasted him for 3 days, and he's alright. so after getting the guppies and rasboras to my tank, I explained to my friend that the tank was too small, and my friend left. I fed them a bit, and after he came back from holiday asked me to keep them a bit longer. Now on Saturday, he came and said he’d got a female betta and had come to take back the guppies. I was sooo exasperated by then but I was too busy (which I was) and said that it was way too small for the guppies and the betta! So he went back home. So I came back the next day, and actually I’d misheard, it was 6 female bettas in a 6 gal tank! He said his Dad had said to hold on to the fish (in the 6g) until he’d gotten a big tank. I said no way, but then his dad came downstairs and said to get the fish(guppies) back, so I said maybe take my 16g with the fish but his dad said no. And me being young , I didn’t want to say anything as his dad was an adult and soo I just got the fish and brought them to the house . Then they put the fish in the 6g , and the fish were all frenzied and stressed. So when the dad was not looking(because I didn’t want him thinking I was adding weird chemicals to the aquarium) I quickly added seachem prime and fluval bb because my friend trusts me but just following his dad. So yeah. I’ve asked my friend to update me if if anything happens and I also took some water for testing and I’m going to send an article to them on the nitrogen cycle and overstocking, etc. but I don’t know a good article can anyone please recommend?

 

[Animallover😍]

Testing results for his water (before adding prime)
Ammonia 0.5
Nitrite 0
Nitrate haven’t tested