I've been cycling a 20g tall hospital tank for about a month now - it does have one juvie angel fish in it but it was seeded with bacteria and plants from 2 of my established tanks when it was set up and I also added an entire large bottle of Safestart.
I've been using the Seachem Multi test kits - the ones specifically made to use with products like Prime.
The tests consistantly show zero free ammonia, but the total ammonia reading is still showing some ammonia in the tank. A drop test kit also shows about .25 ammonia. Nitrites are zero and nitrates are reading at 1 (using the Seachem tests) after a water change yesterday. I do 25% water changes every other day. There are no meds in the tank, it is bare bottom (altho I may add gravel today), and has an airstone along with an appropriate sized filter, and temp is set for 78 degrees.
So I'm assuming the tank still isn't fully cycled, right? At some point the bacteria should take care of ALL the ammonia and the total ammonia should read zero, right? I do have chloramines in my water - not sure if that contributing to the problem - and I use Prime.
I'm not concerned about the fish in there since the free ammonia is zero and he is healing nicely and doing very well. I'm just wondering why, when the tank was so heavily seeded, I'm still seeing any ammonia at all after a month. I've decided to keep this tank as the angels permanent home, at least for a while) and want to add a few corys in there but I just can't seem to get the total ammonia down to zero.
I've been using the Seachem Multi test kits - the ones specifically made to use with products like Prime.
The tests consistantly show zero free ammonia, but the total ammonia reading is still showing some ammonia in the tank. A drop test kit also shows about .25 ammonia. Nitrites are zero and nitrates are reading at 1 (using the Seachem tests) after a water change yesterday. I do 25% water changes every other day. There are no meds in the tank, it is bare bottom (altho I may add gravel today), and has an airstone along with an appropriate sized filter, and temp is set for 78 degrees.
So I'm assuming the tank still isn't fully cycled, right? At some point the bacteria should take care of ALL the ammonia and the total ammonia should read zero, right? I do have chloramines in my water - not sure if that contributing to the problem - and I use Prime.
I'm not concerned about the fish in there since the free ammonia is zero and he is healing nicely and doing very well. I'm just wondering why, when the tank was so heavily seeded, I'm still seeing any ammonia at all after a month. I've decided to keep this tank as the angels permanent home, at least for a while) and want to add a few corys in there but I just can't seem to get the total ammonia down to zero.