30L with 5 Endlers - cycle problems

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Bronzio

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Hi all,

Newbie to fishkeeping and the forum here.

My tank is 30L with 5 Endlers in it. No plants, just manmade decorations. Some snails
Temperature - 25 degrees
PH - 7.2

I did a fishless cycle when it was new and got the water to:
Ammonia 0.25 (this is how it comes out of our tap)
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

My Endlers went in on 21 August.

Since then my readings have been fairly consistent at:
Ammonia 0.5
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 20

I've been doing a 75% water change twice a week since the fish went in. I feed them once a day and give them only what they can eat in 2 mins.

I want to bring that ammonia down so my plan is to do a test and change every day. Does everyone think this is the right approach? Does anyone have anything else to suggest?

Thanks in advance for your help. Loving my little Endlers, they are so colourful and playful.
 
Live plants will help a lot as these consume ammonia and nitrate.
Especially fast growing plants or floating plants, lots of benefits having those in the tank, not just for ammonia and nitrate.

How did you cycle the tank btw?
 
Live plants will help a lot as these consume ammonia and nitrate.
Especially fast growing plants or floating plants, lots of benefits having those in the tank, not just for ammonia and nitrate.

How did you cycle the tank btw?
I did a silent cycle with no fish.
 
A silent cycle process does includes live plants....

Therefore you cannot do a silent cycle without plants:/
 
A silent cycle process does includes live plants....

Therefore you cannot do a silent cycle without plants:/
Ah, sorry. So you think I may not have actually cycled it to begin with? And I now need to treat it as a fish-in cycle?
 
It sounds like it.

A silent cycle relies on live plants, and more than just the odd one or two, to take up the ammonia excreted by the fish - plants use it as fertiliser.

As an immediate measure, I would get a couple of bunches of elodea and let them float in the tank. It may not look pretty but it will help with the ammonia level. Water changes to get the ammonia down to your tap water level will also help.
Once the fish are safe, we can look at what's the best next step.
 
Agreed, or any fast growing plants, floating plants might be another alternative for you, can have both or more if you wish.
 
Thanks so much everyone, really appreciate the help
 

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