aquababe

I have a 20 UK gallon tank and i am cycling it with 5 zebra danios. Last night i added a filter sponge from an established tank. I tested for ammonia and nitrites this morning and ammonia was at about 0.25ppm and the nitrite was also 0.25ppm. I just tested again and the ammonia is at the same level but now the nitrites are reading at 0 Shouldn't it be going up??

Thanks

Charlotte

ETA: The water has also gone cloudy so that's due to a bacteria bloom, could this have had an affect on the nitrites?

susitna-flower

aquababe

I have added cycle I thought that ammonia levels go down before the nitrite would?

susitna-flower

Good. So don't worry to much. They may go back and forth a little until you get a really good culture going in your filters etc. It all depends on how many fish, and plants you have, and how much food waste there is. Just go easy with little adjustments to start, and like I said it will not hurt to add Cycle with every water change. I don't change water unless the nitrate gets up over 5-10. My tank is just a community tank with no really sensitive fish. Research new fish before buying so you don't get a fish whose needs you are not set up to take care of. One day I will have a great tank for breeding Angles, but for now I have to be content with what I have! lol !!

Jim

sustna-flower is right, your reading can be a bit goofy until it gets really established. Trust me, the water here in florida SUCKS and I had lots of problems getting my angel tank right.

tan.b

yeah, my readings make no sense either!!! my nitrite has started showing, but my ammonia is still the same?! i thought ammonia would go down when nitrite went up?!
good luck! all i can say is keep testing the water for all 3 (ammonia, nitrite and nitrate) and do water changes if they get high (i think max 1.0 for ammonia and nitrite and 20 for nitrate - i change at 0.5 cos i'm a scaredy cat!) or of course if fish seem stressed. its pants i know!! i'm hating every minute of every water change, but apparently it gets better!!!
good luck!!!

Gunnie

Sometimes your cycle doesn't go exactly like it should, and you can have wierd things happen like nitrites going down before ammonia does. That sponge you added might have had more bacteria on it to consume the nitrites than the ammonia. It could be a number of things. Not to worry. It sounds like everything is going well, and it won't be long! Keep up the good work!