Please explain to me what is happenning....

[aic]

I'm getting really confused at what is happening.

I've had the ammonia spoke and am now at .25ppm. I've seen the Nitrates spike and they are reading between 0 and 5ppm. However, Nitrites have not dropped much and are still reading around 1ppm.

From what I understand the Ammonia spikes, then drops as the Nitrites spike, and then those both get to 0 and Nitrates are last. It seems that both the Ammonia and Nitrates are very close to 0- but the Nitrates really haven't fell.

This seems totally off from everything I've read.

 

[thegrun]

How long has your tank been cycling? How high did the ammonia get at its highest? How high did your nitrites get at their highest? It is likely your cycle is moving along normally, but we need a little more information to be sure. Your nitrates will likely never fall on their own.

 

[Betaktical]

Sounds like a good mid cycle. Or you are using api test kits


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[aic]

Sounds like a good mid cycle. Or you are using api test kits


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I am using an API test kit. Do you think the readings are off?

 

[Betaktical]

Api always shows ammonia. Did the same thing when I got my tank. It showed ammonia in my ro water. Have you tried it on the water you do changes with. Salifert is expensive but has awesome accuracy


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[thegrun]

API is notorious for giving a false 0.25 ammonia reading when there is no ammonia present. Their nitrite and nitrate tests while not the most accurate get you in the ballpark.

 

[aic]

How long has your tank been cycling? How high did the ammonia get at its highest? How high did your nitrites get at their highest? It is likely your cycle is moving along normally, but we need a little more information to be sure. Your nitrates will likely never fall on their own.

About 3 weeks in.
40 gallon tank I started with live rock. After looking into it the Rick is about 39# total. Ammonia was in the 3-4ppm range st the highest test. Could definitely have been higher. Nitrates were at the 60-80ppm at the highest I saw.

How do I get the Nitrites to fall if they don't Fall on their own?

 

[thegrun]

The nitrites will fall on their own, it just takes time, your cycle is progressing normally.

 

[tkeracer619]

Keep in mind ammonia showing in RO water is common when your water supply treats with chloramine.

 

[Betaktical]

Keep in mind ammonia showing in RO water is common when your water supply treats with chloramine.

I get my water from the RO station inside Walmart. I know my city uses chloramine. Should I treat the RO water with conditioner just to be safe?


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[Cymonous]

About 3 weeks in.
40 gallon tank I started with live rock. After looking into it the Rick is about 39# total. Ammonia was in the 3-4ppm range st the highest test. Could definitely have been higher. Nitrates were at the 60-80ppm at the highest I saw.

How do I get the Nitrites to fall if they don't Fall on their own?

Nitrites will fall on their own. NITRATES do not fall on their own. You need to export NITRATES in some way such as water changes or gfo.

I would NOT suggest to use Walmart water. If you are going to use bottled water, get distilled from the container. If you can afford it, get a RODI system instead.

 

[Walla2GSP]

I get my water from the RO station inside Walmart. I know my city uses chloramine. Should I treat the RO water with conditioner just to be safe?


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Are you sure the R/O station is an R/O station? Most Walmart water stations are just tapwater run through a carbon filter. I have never heard of a Walmart using an R/O on their water station, but I obviously haven't talked to every Walmart either. You might want to borrow a TDS meter and verify that the water has in fact been run through an RO. I'm not sure how people are getting a false reading on API, both of my API test kits read 0 when there is low Ammonia levels in my tanks.

 

[aic]

Nitrites will fall on their own. NITRATES do not fall on their own. You need to export NITRATES in some way such as water changes or gfo.

I would NOT suggest to use Walmart water. If you are going to use bottled water, get distilled from the container. If you can afford it, get a RODI system instead.

I'm not using Walmart water. Another person posted about that in this thread.

 

[Betaktical]

Are you sure the R/O station is an R/O station? Most Walmart water stations are just tapwater run through a carbon filter. I have never heard of a Walmart using an R/O on their water station, but I obviously haven't talked to every Walmart either. You might want to borrow a TDS meter and verify that the water has in fact been run through an RO. I'm not sure how people are getting a false reading on API, both of my API test kits read 0 when there is low Ammonia levels in my tanks.

Yes it's the primo water station ran through carbon, 5stage r/o post carbon then uv sterilizer. Although I am using api test kits.


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[1sttimer]

If using distilled water should anything be added to it prior to adding to the tank?