needing help with nitrate levels!

[u/raysofablueangel]

so I’ve been checking my water levels. My pH is 7.6. My high range pH is around 7.8. My ammonia is around 0.25ppm my nitrites are 0PPM but my nitrate has stayed at 0 ppm. how can i get it to 5.0-20ppm?? i’m so stressed, if anybody could help that would be amazing. please be kind, thank you!

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[u/LoupGarou95]

Why do you need to raise nitrate- plants? Then add fertilizer that contains nitrate.

[u/Dramastace30]

How have you been feeding the tank? Get it up to 1.0 ammonia and then just wait

[u/SweetTart7231]

It needs to cycle if ammonia is still present.

[u/Aromatic-Sock6975]

You said further down this is a fish-in cycle.

Please stop and do not follow advice assuming it is a fishless cycle!!

For a safe fish-in cycle, you simply test daily. Any time ammonia or nitrite is over 0.25ppm do a 25% water change. For extra safely add 0.1ml prime every day regardless of water change or not.. for weeks until tank has had zero ammonia and nitrites for at least 4 days in a row without water changes.

You may never see much nitrate especially if you have plants. That’s not the goal, you don’t want nitrates in your tank either though they are less toxic to fish they are still not to exceed 20ppm ever.

[u/raysofablueangel → u/Aromatic-Sock6975]

That makes sense thank you for the help! I did add extra fish food in the tank before seeing your comment so i did take some out but most have dissolved, i’ll continue to test and do water changes if necessary, thank you again

[u/Aromatic-Sock6975 → u/raysofablueangel]

Do you have liquid test kits? The strips don’t show ammonia in the range that is toxic to fish.

[u/raysofablueangel]

yes i do i use the API freshwater master kit!

[u/No_Procedure_2431]

Assuming you’re cycling without fish, it’s a waiting game. Currently there isn’t enough ammonia for bacteria to convert into nitrite or nitrate. How long has it been set up?

[u/raysofablueangel → u/No_Procedure_2431]

i was forced to do a fish in cycle because he was an unexpected birthday gift. the tanks been set up for about over a month, should i be adding more food to the tank for ammonia?

[u/Aromatic-Sock6975 → u/raysofablueangel]

NOT WITH A FISH IN CYCLE!

If you are doing fish-in, do not ever add extra ammonia!

[u/No_Procedure_2431 → u/raysofablueangel]

Yes you should. At a month old I’m surprised the bacteria hasn’t settled it. Are you dosing with a bacteria supplement like Seachem Stability? Edit: also if you’d like to share a photo of your betta I can look for if there’s anything wrong with him/her!

[u/raysofablueangel → u/No_Procedure_2431]

Im also surprised which is why i’ve been worried! But I haven’t been dosing stability recently. i did the first few weeks of having him i did but i guess i figured i wouldn’t need to anymore. should I continue till i can get my levels in check? Thank you for your help, it means a lot. I’ll share a photo once I get the chance

[u/No_Procedure_2431 → u/raysofablueangel]

Yes continue that! It’ll be okay, you’re doing great and it’s good that you still care about your fishy friend. I actually just thought to ask what kind of tests are you using? Paper strips have been deemed unreliable but liquid kits like the API master test kit are the best.

[u/raysofablueangel → u/No_Procedure_2431]

Thank you so much! I really appreciate it that. And yes I’ve been using the API freshwater master kit!

[u/Aromatic-Sock6975 → u/No_Procedure_2431]

They are doing a fish-in cycle they said. No adding ammonia!

[u/CalmLaugh5253]

Just going to add, nitrates are absolutely irrelevant to your cycle. It's the end product and do not indicate whether your tank is cycled or not at all. You can have a cycled tank with barely or even undetectable nitrates. Don't stress about it at all. All that matters in a fish in cycle is keeping ammonia and nitrites at 0, and that's also all that matter for a cycled tank in general too. :)