Nitrate

[Arcticfox1977]

I am still cycling my tank. I have recently bought the ei starter kit for our plants.
Tested water and my nitrate level is 10ppm. I haven't had any reading of nitrite yet.
Can I say my tank is cycled as we now have nitrate due to the plant food?
Or do I need to see nitrite then nitrate?

 

[ech0o]

some places have nitrates in the water already.  what are your ammonia levels?

 

[Sophie]

Are you using anything to cycle the tank?

 

[Arcticfox1977]

I have never had nitrate or nitrite levels yet.
Ammonia is 0 if it climbs to 0.25 I do a 50-80% WC.
I am doing the fish in cycle.
The starter kit for the plants does have potassium nitrate powder. I am sure this is what I'm picking up.
So the question is, do I have actual nitrate in my tank and will this start eating up the ammonia? Which then leadsmto , is my tank cycled?
Or do I have to still wait till I we a nitrite reading?

 

[Sophie]

http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/224306-fish-in-cycling/

Have a little read here my dear. It'll help explain - all I can say is you're not cycled yet if ammonia is still present.

 

[Arcticfox1977]

I've read through that guide. I've been up and running with for 7 weeks now. If the nitrate level increases higher than 20ppm should I do a water change?

 

[daizeUK]

If you are already doing water changes to keep ammonia down I wouldn't worry about nitrate.

 

[snazy]

.

If the nitrate level increases higher than 20ppm should I do a water change?
 

          
Why would you be doing water changes to lower the nitrate if you are dosing potassium nitrate for the plants? Presence of nitrAte is not a good indicator to consider the tank fully cycled and stable regardless. If on another hand you detect ammonia and nitrIte, then do a water change. Otherwise, do weekly water changes.
As long as your tests don't detect any ammonia and nitrite several days in a row and the fish are behaving fine, then the tank is cycled for the current bioload. If you are still detecting ammonia from time to time, then there's a bit to go. When the tank reaches the nitrIte stage, it normally climbs up all of a sudden in the space of a couple of days. So you need to be ready. If you have a heavily planted tank, the plants are helping with the ammonia and nitrite too, so you may get away with minor spikes or none at all, depending.

 

[Arcticfox1977]

Thank you all for your advice.