Ammonia At 0

I tested ammonia today when I got home from work and it was at 0 I’ll be testing again tomorrow and then when I test again Wednesday if it’s at 0 I’ll be adding fish. Is this the right way to do it. Nitrates are at 30

 

Would recommend getting the nitrates down to at least 10! Ideally zero. High levels of nitrates can harm your fish.

 

Would recommend getting the nitrates down to at least 10! Ideally zero. High levels of nitrates can harm your fish.

I'll be adding plants I read high nitrates are good for plantkeeping

 

Live plants are often put in an aquarium to combat high nitrates, are your plants already added?

 

What about nitrite? Nitrate and ammonia are only 2/3 of the cycle

 

What about nitrite? Nitrate and ammonia are only 2/3 of the cycle

I used TSS+ so I didn’t test for the first week. So I don’t know what was going on.

Live plants are often put in an aquarium to combat high nitrates, are your plants already added?

No I took them out when I added TSS+

 

No I took them out when I added TSS+

Well to answer your first question I would recommend not adding the fish quite yet until you have all your tests done and get your nitrates down lower!

 

Well to answer your first question I would recommend not adding the fish quite yet until you have all your tests done and get your nitrates down lower!

Sorry maybe I worded my post incorrectly I already have 2 fish I did a fish in cycle. And I’m asking is it okay to add fish in 2 days if my Ammonia is a 0 and nitrates are at 30. Or do I just leave the tank as is for a while or do I do a water change

 

I would do a large water change to get the nitrates down before adding additional fish.

 

I would do a large water change to get the nitrates down before adding additional fish.

So you think I’m cycled?

 

If your nitrates are at 30 then change the water in your tank and test again. The nitrates are the part of the cycle that the human tank owner has to be part of. They are the things that you must do something about.

I'd add some more ammonia (fish poop) after the water change to see if the cycle works all the way through.

 

If your nitrates are at 30 then change the water in your tank and test again. The nitrates are the part of the cycle that the human tank owner has to be part of. They are the things that you must do something about.

I'd add some more ammonia (fish poop) after the water change to see if the cycle works all the way through.

Okay do you think a 50 or a 75% water change would be good ?

 

Okay do you think a 50 or a 75% water change would be good ?

Doing a 70-75 percent water change should get you below 10ppm nitrates, yes

 

I think if you put the plants back in, they take a few days to acclimate to the tank before they start growing and using nutrients again. Once they do, adding fish is no problem. Many true aquatic plants (anything with roots in the water column) use ammonia directly; basically it's the rooted plants that need nitrate. A nitrate level of 30 should not prevent the addition of fish, and a 50% water change is adequate if you return the plants to the tank. People with plastic plants have to do larger water changes to keep the Nitrates down, but anything under 40 is usually considered good, and most freshwater fish will not really suffer with even higher levels, contrary to popular belief. The numbers everyone quotes are from the Marine hobby, where the fish are far more sensitive to pollutants than freshwater. No one has actually experimented/tested to find the correct numbers for a Freshwater tank.

 

So you think I’m cycled?

From what you said, it sounds like it is.

 

I think if you put the plants back in, they take a few days to acclimate to the tank before they start growing and using nutrients again. Once they do, adding fish is no problem. Many true aquatic plants (anything with roots in the water column) use ammonia directly; basically it's the rooted plants that need nitrate. A nitrate level of 30 should not prevent the addition of fish, and a 50% water change is adequate if you return the plants to the tank. People with plastic plants have to do larger water changes to keep the Nitrates down, but anything under 40 is usually considered good, and most freshwater fish will not really suffer with even higher levels, contrary to popular belief. The numbers everyone quotes are from the Marine hobby, where the fish are far more sensitive to pollutants than freshwater. No one has actually experimented/tested to find the correct numbers for a Freshwater tank.

So add the plants back in then in a 2-3 days add fish? Or can I waterchange and add fish and plants at the same time?

 

I think either one would work.

 

I think either one would work.

ok thanks I'll be adding more fish in thursday or friday!