Can't get ammonia down from 0.2 :(

Soooo following on from my newbie drama, I'm putting all the information in I can't in the hope someone can figure out where I'm going wrong.

I had a tank and by week 3/4 I discovered was overstocked, likely uncycled (even after asking for advice at LFS) and over feeding in a 10gallon, causing ammonia to peak at 4 and nitrate at 5.

I moved all fish to a bigger tank apart from my apisto. They are all now happy, fine, and no issues water issues.

I managed to get the levels quickly down to 0.2 after daily water changes and prime treatments.
I now have, and for the last week had ammonia : 0.2 and no nitrates or nitrites :/ I'm still changing the water daily (25%-50%) , the water looks SO clear now, the gravel has been really cleaned and the feeding has dropped massively. Yet I just can't shift this ammonia level. My filter has been lightly swished in the old water and put back in. Otherwise I just can't figure out what more I can do?
I'm also concerned I have no nitrates now.

I've had very light algae hair forming this week on the pane that I have wiped clean but apart from that the tank is crystal clear

Ive really gone into all decor to make sure there's no missing pockets of muck etc

I'm still doing daily testing, water changes and prime.

My filter is a Aqua internal 200 which reviews say is great, does the job, I doubt changing carbon would make a difference would it?

id like to blame my test but my other tank shows a clear zero.

Does anyone one have any other suggestions? Did it even cycle?!?! I'm baffled

 

I read through your thread. The only bacterial supplement that says you have to sit 24 hours is Tetra's TSS+. You are fine using Prime and Stability daily together. Here is my little formula I give people for cycling with fish-in that keeps their fish safe and allows the cycle to finish:

If ammonia + nitrites is == less than 1.0 == dose prime for the full volume of the tank, dose stability and re-check in 24 hours.
If ammonia + nitrites is == 1.0 or greater, do a large (at least 50%) water change, dose prime for the full volume of the tank, dose stability and re-check in 24 hours.

Also, it never hurts to dose more stability. I would double it up

This comes from CindiL, who's been super at helping so many here, I think she's the cycle guru

Bit to answer you're question about the cycle...without any nitrates showing, I doubt you are cycled.

When you're cycled, you're ammonia and nitrites get broken down fairly quickly and convert to nitrates. So once you see you ammonia and nitrites at 0 and you're nitrates climbing you'll be fully cycled. Hope this helps.

 

Any reason why you have your apisto in the 10 gallon still? I'd move him over so you can cycle one tank and not two. He's not suitable in the 10 gallon anyway. I'd move the filter media from the 10 gallon over as well to get any available bacteria that's established there.

I would pick up Seachem Stability to help you cycle faster.

 

I separated him from a female as I was concerned about breeding. Should I really be concerned about breeding in a community tank?

I'm so fed up I've just been given some advice from both my LFS I feel like I'm in a right mess

I have two silver mollies and 5 neon tetra too in my 29 gallon and I imagine mollies are too big for that too. They were such a mistake

I'm forever tempted to give up my mollies

 

It's possible the apistos will breed but it's not like livebearers where you will be overrun. Are they being aggressive towards each other? If you don't want to deal with breeding, just rehome one of them.

You're fine with the mollies in that tank size but it's just going to require a bit more work to keep ammonia down since they are messy fish. Sorry that you've been given such bad advice but you can definitely get this tank cycled and keep those fish you have. Pick up a bottle of Seachem Stability as soon as possible. Move over the apisto (if no aggression issues) as well as the filter media from the 10g.