Confused by readings

[scotty]

The first picture is readings from last week,second picture is today. Feel something is not right

 

[scotty]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/uB2XXZZtJnduizp18

 

[FishGuest5123]

Is this an established tank or cycling? If established, it appears your tank is high in ammonia and nitrates. How old is your test kit? Are you shaking the bottled and tubes really well? I’d do a big water change and test again. Check your water source also.

 

[scotty]

Water source is fine,nitrates are about 20ppm. There is also live plants in the tank

 

[Byron]

We need more data...can you give us the test results for the source water just so we can be certain? If ammonia and nitrite are zero it helps to say this, as not everyone considers "fine" to be the same thing. And nitrate at 20 ppm I assume is the source water itself?

Second, as Deanasue asked, is this a new tank in cycle?

 

[FishGuest5123]

We need more data...can you give us the test results for the source water just so we can be certain? If ammonia and nitrite are zero it helps to say this, as not everyone considers "fine" to be the same thing. And nitrate at 20 ppm I assume is the source water itself?

Second, as Deanasue asked, is this a new tank in cycle?

Yes, and how old is your testing kit? Are you shaking everything well? I ask this because the test results in one week are so different.

 

[steelo]

Either the test kit is bad or you have something in there constantly producing a lot of ammonia (faster than what can be converted to nitrites) Are you doing a fishless cycle? How far along are you into the cycling?

 

[scotty]

Fishless cycle,about 4 weeks into cycle. Test kit brand new. Shaking everything well. Will carry out tests on tap water

 

[scotty]

https://photos.app.goo.gl/YNZKzoxpFn9BkXzT6

Tap water readings

 

[steelo]

Fishless cycle,about 4 weeks into cycle. Test kit brand new. Shaking everything well. Will carry out tests on tap water

I can't tell if ammonia reads 0 or not on the tap water readings from your picture, but I assume it's at 0 or very close to it. Nitrites from the tapwater look to be at 0 too.

I've always been told to leave plants out while it's cycling. How much ammonia are you adding? You don't want your ammonia to be over 3-4 ppm and you do NOT want to add ammonia every day.

The nitrate test is a pain, you REALLY have to vigorously shake the bottle and bang it against a hard surface to get an accurate reading. I wouldn't even test for nitrates until your nitrites disappear as the test will probably give a false reading anyways. The good news is you appear to have a good amount of nitrites so you are getting there...

Here is the fishless cycling guide I followed from this website, it was a long process for me (about 8 weeks) but it's proven to work:

http://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/

 

[scotty]

sorry this is my tap water readings

 

[steelo]

It appears everything is at or close to 0 from your tap.

The picture you posted earlier (I assume taken from your tank) showed a pretty good level of nitrites which means bacterial colonies are beginning to form. You do appear to have ammonia so I wouldn't add any more until that reads 0. Nitrites can get out of hand and potentially stall the cycle if they get over 14-15 ppm by adding too much ammonia or adding too frequently.

I understand the frustration, it took about 4-5 weeks for me to get any nitrites and another month for them to finally disappear. Patience is the key!

 

[FishGuest5123]

Tap water looks fine. Confused as to why your ammonia is still up when you have nitrates. Since it’s fishless, I’d let it go another day or so and see what you get. Keep us posted, please.

 

[steelo]

How often are you adding ammonia and how much are you adding?

 

[scotty]

Enough to make it 2ppm. I also added mature media about 10 days ago