Ive only had the 29gal tank running since the 23 of dec so the tank is barely two weeks old. It has two small fish in it. From what i understand first your ammonia builds up, then you get nitrite readings and then nitrates.

My dilemmia is this, i have ammonia, and i have nitrates.... but never have or had nitrites

I know it couldnt have cycled or i wouldnt have ammonia, but where is the nitrites?

You may have passed the nitrites and now have ammoina for some reason.. but i dont know, seein as there are only two fish..

Ive tested every day, never had nitrites

hmm, im using test strips that are a few months old.... maybe they are the culprit?

When i get a few bucks together ill go get a drop test kit


p.s. i do have drop test kit for the ammonia

Try testing your tap water for nitrates. Many people's tap water has low levels of nitrates in it already.

Unless you seeded this tank, it is not really very possible that the tank has cycled already. (sorry)

Tests do go bad over time. Dip tests can be fairly difficult to interpret at times. (some drop tests can be too)

How long have the fish been in there?

Hi Andrea, I think you're experiencing the same thing I did - I have nitrates out of my tap that read 20ppm.

There's a good chance you haven't passed the ammonia phase and your nitrites are yet to make an appearance... and if you have nitrates in your source water, then this may be the reason they're showing up on your test

woooohoooooooooooooo i got nitrites which means im one step closer to a cycled tank, and my ammonia has droped significantly. YAY im so happy! I hope to have the tank cycled before i have to leave for college. For some reason i dont see my parents changing water daily.