Nitrates rising along with ammonia during fish-in cycle.

[SnifflySnail]

I’m doing a fish-in cycle. I’ve been doing frequent water changes with conditioner and bottled beneficial bacteria.
Today I saw a huge increase in ammonia and nitrates. I expected to see a decrease in ammonia as nitrates rose. What’s going on here?
Photo of test below. PH isn’t included because I broke a test tube. Tested separately it’s 7.6.

 

[StarGirl]

The bacteria could be messing with your tests. I would just worry about ammonia over everything else right now. Water change when it elevates. How much are you changing at a time? You want to keep the ammonia as low as possible. The same with nitrites.

Have you tested your tap water for ammonia and nitrates?

 

[SnifflySnail]

The bacteria could be messing with your tests. I would just worry about ammonia over everything else right now. Water change when it elevates. How much are you changing at a time? You want to keep the ammonia as low as possible. The same with nitrites.

Have you tested your tap water for ammonia and nitrates?

I’ve been going off of a water change chart I found that tells you how much water to change based off of parameters, today I did a 50% water change. I tested my tap water and it’s 0 for nitrates, nitrites, and ammonia.

The bacteria could be messing with your tests. I would just worry about ammonia over everything else right now. Water change when it elevates. How much are you changing at a time? You want to keep the ammonia as low as possible. The same with nitrites.

Have you tested your tap water for ammonia and nitrates?

I’ve been using this bacteria since starting the cycle and haven’t seen elevated nitrates until now. It’s been a few weeks now.

 

[StarGirl]

I would rely on the color of the test over a chart. Not all water is the same. I would try to keep it as close to yellow as possible. It may mean a couple a day if needed. The fish will be more comfortable too.

 

[SnifflySnail]

I would rely on the color of the test over a chart. Not all water is the same. I would try to keep it as close to yellow as possible. It may mean a couple a day if needed. The fish will be more comfortable too.

I’m very much a newb to this & I don’t know how large of a water change to do just based off of what color my test comes out to be, which is why I found and have been relying on the chart I found. How do I know how large of a water change to do without a reference?

I would rely on the color of the test over a chart. Not all water is the same. I would try to keep it as close to yellow as possible. It may mean a couple a day if needed. The fish will be more comfortable too.

This is the chart.

 

[ProudPapa]

If you follow that chart for ammonia and nitrites you should be okay. To be safe, do the water change it recommends and then test again, or just do 20% more than the chart recommends. It's difficult to do a water change that's too large, or to do them too often.

 

[StarGirl]

I’m very much a newb to this & I don’t know how large of a water change to do just based off of what color my test comes out to be, which is why I found and have been relying on the chart I found. How do I know how large of a water change to do without a reference?

This is the chart.

Thats a pretty good chart! As green as your test is I would do 2 50% a day until it goes down. One morning one night if possible.

 

[SnifflySnail]

Thats a pretty good chart! As green as your test is I would do 2 50% a day until it goes down. One morning one night if possible.

Awesome, I’ll do another one tonight then. Thanks for your help. Sorry if this is a silly question (and please don’t take this that I’m not going to do the water changes because I 100% plan on it) but do the super frequent water changes slow down cycling the tank?

 

[ProudPapa]

Awesome, I’ll do another one tonight then. Thanks for your help. Sorry if this is a silly question (and please don’t take this that I’m not going to do the water changes because I 100% plan on it) but do the super frequent water changes slow down cycling the tank?

No, they don't. The amount of beneficial bacteria in the water is negligible. The vast majority of it is on your filter, the substrate, and the hard surfaces in your tank. There's a good concentration of it in your filter because of the constant water flow.

 

[SnifflySnail]

No, they don't. The amount of beneficial bacteria in the water is negligible. The vast majority of it is on your filter, the substrate, and the hard surfaces in your tank. There's a good concentration of it in your filter because of the constant water flow.

That’s great news! I just have to say I really adore this forum. Thank you guys for making this all approachable and digestible. I started out posting on Reddit for advice and people were seriously rude for no reason. So thanks a ton from me + my snails/fish.

 

[StarGirl]

That’s great news! I just have to say I really adore this forum. Thank you guys for making this all approachable and digestible. I started out posting on Reddit for advice and people were seriously rude for no reason. So thanks a ton from me + my snails/fish.

There are no silly questions. If you dont know something just ask! You shouldnt find a whole lot of rude or ridicule around here.