Waiting For Cycle After 3 Weeks

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Well, I'm starting to get some different readings at last. Latest tests show no ammonia but nitrite has gone up and Nitrate has gone down.
 
pH 7.6
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 2.0 ppm
Nitrate 20 ppm
 
Don't waste your nitrate test. Once there's nitrItes in the tank, the nitrAte test will always show nitrAtes because what it does is convert nitrAtes to nitrites, then give you the result but since the tank is also measuring nitrItes, that's added up to it giving you a false reading.
Regardless of that, nitrAte tests aren't very accurate at all.
 
I did the same thing, easily done for us beginners. It took a good 6-7 weeks and a lot of hard work until my tank was cycled and now water conditions are now perfect. Just be careful as I hear chemicals are not ideal for fish and should not use too much as to Cause pollution, and use only in an emergency. I also added a lot of live plants and a powerful pump with airstone to get great surface disturbance. My tank is a 55l with the filter pumping 500l per hour
 
I have only ever added API stress coat to the water when doing water changes which at he moment I am doing 25% once a day. Ammonia is 0 and Nitrite has dropped to 0.25ppm so it looks like the cycle is getting there but converting the Nitrite to Nitrate is taking longer. I'm keeping it under control with daily water changes and the fish seem happy.

I would like add plants at some stage, but I think for now I'm just going to concentrate on getting the cycle in full flow.
 
The nitrite-nitrate converting bacteria usually do take long to grow. It's normal so you just have to wait it out. :/
 
Ammonia and nitrite now showing zero. Cycle is well under way now. Thank you all for the great advice. Fish are looking happy and I've learnt a lot more about fish keeping in the last 5 weeks.
 
Glad to hear it.  Keep us updated.
 
Update: Now the cycle us up and running, decided to add a few more fish. Got 5 cardinals to add some colour into the tank on Saturday. They seem to be doing well. However, I've got a problem with one of my platys. Last few days he's been sitting at the bottom of the tank and only surfaces for food. His fins/tail is flat (if that's the right phrase) and is clearly unhappy/unwell.
 
There are two mickey mouse platys in the tank and they seem fine. However I've always felt they've bullied the other one and he's always seemed like the odd one out. He's a standard one (is there a name for that?) and is smaller than the other two.
 
Any advice would be welcome.
 
"clamped" fins?
 
Start with a water change to help...
 
Then let us know if there are other symptoms...
 
I done the same thing, but added 7 fish ( neons + Molly's ) the fish in cycle took ages, a good couple of months. Before the cycle had finished I still went and added a couple of angles. Although all fish survived it was risky and I took so much hard work. The water changes had to be done daily for ages. It took a lot of the pleasure out of keeping fish. But we all learn in some way or another
 
It took me 16weeks to fully cycle fish in. Yes a lot of WC at the start but it tailors off. I actually enjoyed doing the water changes.
 

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