ok ammonia is at zero now what?

[scheri11]

ok I am cycling my tank and here is what it is telling me ammonia is 0 nitrites are 1.0 and my nitrates are 40 so I just wait righ? When do I do my first water change? I would look it up but for some reason I can not because the search on here will not let me.

[bertoni]

I would do a few water changes over the next few days. In another week, the tank should be ready for stocking fish or very hardy corals.

[wooden_reefer]

Originally Posted by scheri11

ok I am cycling my tank and here is what it is telling me ammonia is 0 nitrites are 1.0 and my nitrates are 40 so I just wait righ? When do I do my first water change? I would look it up but for some reason I can not because the search on here will not let me.

Zero ammonia is not necessarily good news.

Had ammonia been higher for the first half of the cycle, at least?

For cycling, nitrite tests are more indicative. If nitrite had raised and fallen, then the cycle is complete. If the nitrite peak is high, the cycle is a strong one.

If nitrite has first increased and then decreased, and your medium has processed enough ammonia during the few weeks of the cycle, your cycle will complete and will be a strong one.

[jformani]

I usually dont do a water change for a month after my ammonia and nitrites are at zero. Wait until nitrite is zero and nitrates are less then 20 and go slowly with stocking.

[scheri11]

My ammonia was 4.0 to start with and the nitrites went as high as 5.0 then they started going up and down. What do you think about doing water changes?

[sedor]

Originally Posted by jformani

I usually dont do a water change for a month after my ammonia and nitrites are at zero. Wait until nitrite is zero and nitrates are less then 20 and go slowly with stocking.

The nitrates likely won't come down that drastically without doing water changes. I would follow the first bit of advice and do a couple WC's over the next week and then add your first hardy fish like a clown. Take it very slow, your going to want that first fish to be in there for at least 2 weeks before introducing another.