Only Ammonia Readings After Months

[Velios]

Hi All,

I'm not sure what is going on with my 60l tank. I am a new fishkeeper, but i am not sure what it is that i am doing wrong.

In my 60l tank i originally began with 2 platys, to begin the cycling process back in february! i know bad advice, should have done fishless cycling, but i took the advice from my local petsmart store thinking who better to advise. I know better now thanks to reading this forum. All is generally well in the tank and the platys gave birth of which one survived? so now i have three all females, all seem happy.

However, i have never had any nitrate or nitrite readings in the tank ever! i want to add some other fish but not without the tank not being cycled properly. The only readings i do get is for ammonia, which i do a one third water change and gravel clean every 2 weeks. It was suggested i fed them too much, so i now feed them every two days and make sure all flakes are eaten, and only feed for a minute a tiny pinch. I have been doing this for a month now and still i dont have any nitrite or nitrate levels?

I use the API master dropper testing kit, PH levels are stable as well as temperature. There are no living plants in the tank, all plastic, with a gravel substrate.

I use tap water for my tank, the filter i use came with the tank i purchased which is a Juwel Bioflow Mini and is just a sponge filter. This is a link to the kit i bought.

http/www.rocketaquatics.co.uk/juwel-korall-tropical-aquarium-p-3695.html?language=en#googlebase

I have just cleaned the filter once in June, it seemed fairly clean at the time. i'm not using any chemicals in the water apart from the conditioner, I am using Tetra Aquasafe, The pH in the tank is about 8, and the temperature is 70 degress fahrenheit

Can anybody shed any pearls of wisdom on my problem? I really want to add say 5 neon tetra but im not sure due to the tank behaviour.

Thanks,

Velios.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

Are you cleaning the filter just under the tap?

 

[Rickzayne]

also... are you using the conditioner before or after you add the new water to the tank?

 

[Velios]

also... are you using the conditioner before or after you add the new water to the tank?

I use the conditioner before adding the water to the tank.

Are you cleaning the filter just under the tap?

I clean the sponge by rinsing it in the tap water.

 

[Rickzayne]

There's your problem.

Your tap water is killing all your bacteria as it's full of chlorine

You meant to just rinse the sponge in the old tank water your replacing.

 

[BigbruiserAl]

also... are you using the conditioner before or after you add the new water to the tank?

I use the conditioner before adding the water to the tank.

Are you cleaning the filter just under the tap?

I clean the sponge by rinsing it in the tap water.

As said mate that your problem, your bacteria are starting off in the sponge build a colony and when you wash them under the tap the die.

Just get a bucket or jug fill it with tank water, wash the sponge in that then throw the dirty water and top up the tank

 

[Tizer]

Going to have to cycle the filter again though, daily water changes, gogogo!

Dont add any new fish until the tank is cycled again. could take 4-8 weeks, but you might be lucky and some of the bacteria left alive might allow for faster growth.

 

[Velios]

Sorry i put tap water, i meant tank water definately not rinsing in tap water.

My mistake.

 

[RadaR]

My advice....get a few more fish and keep an eye on water quality. If you do experience any nitrite then grab a bucket for a water change.