ok, so I finally got my ammonia down to 0ppm (first full day of being 0 will continue to check daily 0.25 before water change), but my nitrites and nitrates are also reading 0 (both before and after water change). I know I can't possibly be cycled without having some nitrates but how is my ammonia at 0 for a full 24 hours with no nitrites nor nitrates? This is a 5 gallon tank with one zebra danio, pH has remained steady at 7.2-7.4 the entire time.
Additional information: I have an airstone running, temp is fairly steady at 74F it has gone up as high as 80F when the light has been on all day but never higher then that. The only additives have been dechlornitor which I don't use all the time as my tap water has no chlorine in it and I also let my tap water stand at a minimum of 48 hours before adding it to the tank (also I always test for chlorine before adding to the tank). I did use stress zyme once but as it did nothing to help my cycling I stopped using it and returned it to the store (also because most people on the fourm said they also had no luck with it). I test the water every 12 hours and do water changes as needed. Basically I tested the water all was 0ppm except for ammonia at 0.25ppm did a 30% water change, tested it 1 hour later down to 0ppm. Tested 12 hours later all levels were still 0 (pH remained stable), no water change. Tested 12 hours later no change in levels, no water change. The zebra is feed once a day.
Additional information: I have an airstone running, temp is fairly steady at 74F it has gone up as high as 80F when the light has been on all day but never higher then that. The only additives have been dechlornitor which I don't use all the time as my tap water has no chlorine in it and I also let my tap water stand at a minimum of 48 hours before adding it to the tank (also I always test for chlorine before adding to the tank). I did use stress zyme once but as it did nothing to help my cycling I stopped using it and returned it to the store (also because most people on the fourm said they also had no luck with it). I test the water every 12 hours and do water changes as needed. Basically I tested the water all was 0ppm except for ammonia at 0.25ppm did a 30% water change, tested it 1 hour later down to 0ppm. Tested 12 hours later all levels were still 0 (pH remained stable), no water change. Tested 12 hours later no change in levels, no water change. The zebra is feed once a day.
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. I was a biochem major in university and this defies all scientific logic. They only other thing I can think of and sorry for not mentioning earlier, I just thought of it now, is that I have API aquarium salt in the tank, it is a container that can easily be removed. I was told to keep it in the tank at all times to help avoid disease in the tank. I know that the freshwater aquarium salt is a very weak salt, so it shouldn't effect the nitrite/nitrates that much, but could this be the problem?
