Is This Normal For A Fish Cycle?

[ey2006]

EDIT: I just wanted to mention that I haven't used fishless cycling (although I wanted to) as pure ammonia is not allowed to be sold where I live so there isnt any other way to do a fishless cycle

I recently started cycling my new 240L tank with 6 danios and 6 plattys. When I tested the water yesterday, the readings were:

Ammonia 0.5
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Ph 7.0

I tested the water again today after doing a 25% water change and the results were:

Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Ph 7.0

Is this normal? I thought Ammonia should be peaking up to 4-5 before converting to Nitrite?

Should I continue with the daily 25% water changes?

Thanks

 

[phlawed]

I recently started cycling my new 240L tank with 6 danios and 6 plattys. When I tested the water yesterday, the readings were:

Ammonia 0.5
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Ph 7.0

I tested the water again today after doing a 25% water change and the results were:

Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
Ph 7.0

Is this normal? I thought Ammonia should be peaking up to 4-5 before converting to Nitrite?

Should I continue with the daily 25% water changes?

Thanks

People here are very anti-fish cycling so brace yourself.

 

[ey2006]

Hi phlawed, unfortunately I can't get any pure ammonia from where I live (searched a dozen chemists, LFS and supermarkets) but apparently its not allowed to be sold so I have no choice but to cycle with fish. Hope you and everyone else here understand!

 

[ringham]

When I was new to fish keeping I didn't even know that it was possible to buy just amonia so I used fish. But amonia is takenout of your fish tank by your biological filter so I wouldn't worry to much about yor water parameters, but it sounds like you are doing a good job so far. Also if there s no other option other than to use fish cycling IMO it is perfectly understandable.

 

[smmetz]

Also if there s no other option other than to use fish cycling IMO it is perfectly understandable.

Same here. Also, not all "fish cycling" is the same. If you do 10-20% water changes every day, monitor your amonia/nitrite, and keep the tank stocked at like 25% capacity or less (until cycle is complete) - I don't think it will be very stressful for the fish.

If someone just threw in a dozen fish and did monthly water changes - now that is a different story.