Cycle At 4 Weeks

[Lady J]

My tank is in its 4th week of the cycle.

Parameters:
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

Here's what worries me:
pH 7.6
KH 5.0

This appears to be an inverse relationship although I tested directly after turning the lights on. Any ideas?

Correction: I meant to type nitrAtes are at 20, not 0.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Without knowing what you have done over the 4 weeks or what any of the readings were along the way, its hard to comment. The one thing I can say is a pH of 7.6 is not an issue and a KH of 5 is fine as well. Low or no KH would be a problem. Ph below 7.0 would start to be a problem as well.

 

[Lady J]

Thank you so much for your reply!

I will try to be more specific: I started adding pure ammonia at the very beginning and added plants one week after. I have been dosing ammonia almost daily although not all days. I added more plants 6 days ago and that's when ammonia and nitrItes started to drop (as they were consuming the aforementioned). I guess the pH seems a bit high and the KH a bit low, but I haven't run a freshwater tank in many years so am still trying to make sure my water is in a healthy range when I do add fish. Hoping maybe this weekend if the water parameters stay stable!

Yesterday morning I tested the water directly after turning on the lights and the pH was 6.8 and the KH was 6. No ammonia present but a trace of nitrItes. Last night ammonia registered .25(as I added some in the morning), nitrItes were at 0, pH was back up to 7.6 and KH was 6. What I find curious is that pH generally drops at night when the lights have been off all night so why so high when testing right after turning the lights on in the morning?

IDK, just unsure...