What Are Correct Levels In A Cycled Tank?

I have no idea. I keep thinking my broke or something because of my levels. freshwater 20gallon

my ph is 7.6 but also a darker shade of blue

ammonia is 1ppm

nitrites 0

nitrates like 5ppm

my ammonia has been 1ppm for a long while. and water changes don't seem to be getting rid of it. I figure if my tank was cycled shouldnt the ammonia be broken down by bacteria? since the start of my rise of ammonia ive lost 4 neon tetras and my pleco died today.. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong

 

Do you have Prime? If not, get some. It will detoxify ammonia for your fish. Also you need to do daily water changes to keep the ammonia under 1 ppm. It will eventually cycle but it can take awhile.

 

A cycled tank should read:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5-20

Does your tap have ammonia? That would be the only reason it’s not going down if you’re doing daily water changes. It looks like you’re barely reading any nitrates. Id check to see what the parameters of your tap water is.

 

A cycled tank should read:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 5-20

Does your tap has ammonia? That would be the only reason it’s not going down if you’re doing daily water changes. It looks like you’re barely reading any nitrates. Id check to see what the parameters of your tap water is.

yes I made the mistake of using tapwater. did a reading on the tap and it also has an ammonia reading of 1ppm. Ill be doing a large water change with clean water tomorrow I think. I was jus wondering if was a cycle issue. as much as I read about the nitrogen cycle, I still don't understand it . like I'm worried if I had it and broke it? or skipped it. I have no idea

 

yes I made the mistake of using tapwater. did a reading on the tap and it also has an ammonia reading of 1ppm. Ill be doing a large water change with clean water tomorrow I think. I was jus wondering if was a cycle issue. as much as I read about the nitrogen cycle, I still don't understand it . like I'm worried if I had it and broke it? or skipped it. I have no idea

No mistake in using tap water, as long as you conditioned it, it’s fine. I’d recommend getting Prime, if you don't already have it. Like Valerie said, it detoxifies ammonia and nitrite for up to 24 hrs.

How long have you had the tank with the fish in it?

 

No mistake in using tap water, as long as you conditioned it, it’s fine. I’d recommend getting Prime, if you don't already have it. Like Valerie said, it detoxifies ammonia and nitrite for up to 24 hrs.

How long have you had the tank with the fish in it?

I have this stresscoat plus that removes metals in tap water but it says nothing about ammonia. and if you use prime and continue using tap water won't I just keep having the same issue? unless I buy the stuff and use it like every day , but that doesn't sound very healthy

gosh I don't remember when I started, couple months?. the tank was fine until recently ammonia was down nitrites were down , nitrates were low. not till like last month that the ammonia shot up. that's when I panicked and started using tap water to doing more water changes to get the ammonia out. not knowing my tap water had ammonia in it. so I have no idea where the spike came from. wondering if I broke something

 

I have this stresscoat plus that removes metals in tap water but it says nothing about ammonia. and if you use prime and continue using tap water won't I just keep having the same issue? unless I buy the stuff and use it like every day , but that doesn't sound very healthy

gosh I don't remember when I started, couple months?. the tank was fine until recently ammonia was down nitrites were down , nitrates were low. not till like last month that the ammonia shot up. that's when I panicked and started using tap water to doing more water changes to get the ammonia out. not knowing my tap water had ammonia in it. so I have no idea where the spike came from. wondering if I broke something

Prime detoxifies ammonia for up to 24 hrs. meaning it turns ammonia into a non toxic form. So yes, you would have to use everyday, until your tank cycles. Once your tank cycles, only use it when you do water changes for the ammonia. In those 24 hrs. your Beneficial bacteria will eat up the ammonia.

What water were you using before?

 

You can also speed up the cycle by adding tetra safestart plus 24 hours after the last time you use a water conditioner like prime.

Tss is live bacter of the the strains that you're trying to establish. It just can't eat the ammonium that prime changes the ammonia into which is why you have to wait 24 hours for the ammonium to turn back into ammonia. But with a 1 ppm ammonia (ammonia levels of 4 or more will kill it before it establishes a colony) tss should work pretty quick and cycle your tank in 1 or 2 weeks at the most.

 

Prime detoxifies ammonia for up to 24 hrs. meaning it turns ammonia into a non toxic form. So yes, you would have to use everyday, until your tank cycles. Once your tank cycles, only use it when you do water changes for the ammonia. In those 24 hrs. your Beneficial bacteria will eat up the ammonia.

What water were you using before?

how would I know I I have that beneficial bacteria? my noob brain would have thought over this time that ammonia would have gone down some since I haven't done a water change in like 2 weaks

 

how would I know I I have that beneficial bacteria? my noob brain would have thought over this time that ammonia would have gone down some since I haven't done a water change in like 2 weaks

When you’re reading 0 ammonia and nitrite.

That might have been the reason for your fish dying and the reason you are reading a little nitrates. So your tank has been up for months and once you switched your water source, your fish started dying, is that correct? Did you have a cycle before you switched water?

 

When you’re reading 0 ammonia and nitrite.

That might have been the reason for your fish dying and the reason you are reading a little nitrates. So your tank has been up for months and once you switched your water source, your fish started dying, is that correct? Did you have a cycle before you switched water?

some fish died before the water source but shortly after I saw the ammonia spike up, and caused me to freak out and use whatever water source that was available to me cuz I wanted to dilute the ammonia, didnt go so well.
but yes at one point I had 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites little nitrates from poop and what not.. it was a hand me down tank so the bacteria was already there (substrate wasn't changed) . maybe I messed it up in a cleaning, I dunno I'm just paranoid