AJ.Ashbrook

I will try this. Thanks much!

Aquarium Co Op test kit shows 6.8ish on my 40g tank, but the API high range test shows this brownish color that doesn’t seem distinct on the test key. API low range shows perfect blue/max range, so seems like I need to use high range. My 20g also shows the same brownish color with the API high range, and Aquarium CoOp shows 6.8ish. How can either of these be this far off? Both tanks seem to read at least 1.0 off. This is important because I’m trying to cycle these tanks, and my understand is Seachem Stability doesn’t work under 7.0 PH. Any help would be appreciated!

Good to know. I've seen estimates that while bacteria lives throughout the entire tank, up to 90% can be in the filter. I suppose oxygen explains that. Or they're including a bunch of tanks that don't have sub-straight and plants etc.

Sorry you're struggling! At least you avoided fish in cycle. I promise it would be worse if you lost a fish friend. It sounds like you've potentially reached zero ammonia. If it's API's test kit, I understand it commonly false reads .25. Which could be leftover tap water from cleaning, or just actually has .25ppm. That level isn't 0, so it's no good, but it's not lethal to fish. You've also got Nitrite, so you're going in the right direction. If the number in general is bothering you, you can just do a water change, and you should see the Nitrite drop based on the water change. If you have 5ppm, and do a 75% water change, it should be under 2ppm after. While you're cycling, the number isn't critical, but it does sort of represent the ammonia/fish load when you do add fish, so the higher the number for now, when you reach 0/0/X, all the better for stocking. If 5 days in, you had 0/0/5, you might add 3 small fish, and immediately get an ammonia spike. The way you're going now, you should be able to immediately stock 50% or more of your tank's capacity. Do you know what your nitrate levels are? If you're starting to see significant Nitrate levels, i'd say just do a major (90%) water change, and retest the next day and see what you have.

Looks like it could be Hair Algae (Rhizoclonium) to me too. That or Thread Algae. I'm not expert, but I just had hair algae in one of my tanks, so I was all over the internet sorting it out.

I know it's common to run a new filter inside an established tank for about one month to prep an "instant" cycle for a new tank. My question is, how effective, or is it even equally effective to simply leave a sponge filter, or sponge media inside your established tank. No filter running, no air going to the sponge, just letting the media sit inside the tank. I assume the bacteria will cultivate on the surface just like anything else, but without running air/pumping it, will it be significantly less effective? slower?