Upgraded 5gal to 20 gal cycling help

[Nicnia]

Hello!

I just bought a new 20 gallon tank 5 days ago. My 5 gallon tank was fully cycled. I transferred all the decor and gravel to the new tank including the filter. I added new gravel and the new filter with the heater to the 20 gal. I also have a bubbler wand in the new tank.

I've also added live bacteria to my new 20 gallon, which I just finished the bottle today.

I've tested my water every day since. I've used dechlorinator as well. What I'm confused about is my levels.

My original 5 gal read:
PH: 7.6
Ammonia and nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 20-40

New 20 gallon reads:
PH: 7.6
Ammonia and nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0? (It's a darker yellow color so I can't tell if it's 0 or between 0-5)

What can I do to get the nitrates up?

One of my neon tetras died yesterday

I currently have 2 neon tetras and 2 guppies and 4 little shrimp (red crystal shrimp, red cherry shrimp, blue shrimp and tiger shrimp)

Do I have to recycle my entire tank again?

 

[Nicnia]

The 1st is nitrite, 2nd is ammonia, 3rd is nitrate

 

[fluttermoth]

You don't want the nitrate to go up; it will go up naturally, once your filter bacteria are processing the ammonia and nitrite.

As long as you not seeing either of those, your tank should be cycled, but do keep testing daily for a few days to check..

 

[Nicnia]

Thank you for your reply. I've been checking daily since. Day 10 today of new transfered tank. Ammonia and nitrite are at 0. Nitrate is still 0 looking as a dark yellow color.

I want to add new fish (guppies) soon since my guppies are being a bit harsh with one another. Can I add them yet or should I wait to see some nitrates growing?

Is there anything I can add to up the nitrates myself?

 

[Gruntle]

it's possible that you're getting a false low reading from the nitrate test. Looks like you're using the API Master kit that has two reagent bottles for nitrate. You need to shake the living daylights out of the second bottle, as the reagent is a powder that drops out of the solution and doesn't react with nitrate. The instructions say shake for 30 seconds, I say a couple of minutes until your arm is ready to fall off. You can even bang the bottle about on a hard surface to dislodge the powder from the bottom of the bottle (note this is the bottle, not the test tube).

That may help you...

 

[Gruntle]

Have you added any ammonia to the tank, or is it just the bacteria you have added? You won't see ammonia, nitrite or nitrate changes unless the bacteria have a food source (ammonia).

 

[Nicnia]

I tested the tank again just now. Ammonia is at .25 while nitrite and nitrate at 0. Does this mean I'm recycling my tank from scratch again?