First tank water test result help

[Russelm]

Hey reefers,
So I just did my first real water parameter test with livestock in the tank. Background the tank is about two weeks old has about an inch of sand bed and 35 pounds of BRS reef saver rock. I cycled the tank until I got an ammonia spike. I added three days ago three Chromis, 1 emerald crab, and two red legged hermits. The results are below.

Ammonia- .25 ppm
Nitrate- 5.0 ppm
Nitrite- .25 ppm
Ph- 8.0

My question is are any of these bad and what really am I looking for. I am going to do another water chance in a couple of days since I'm going away on work for three weeks. Thanks for all the help

 

[Rob.D]

You really want 0 ammonia and 0 nitrite before you add any fish but that is a mute point now.......feed as little as possible until the tank can finish cycling.

 

[Breakthecycle2]

By doing water changes you are stalling the cycle. You really should have waited to ammonia is zero. Whats going to happen now is, you will get a nitrite spike which is also deadly to fish.

 

[kschweer]

Agreed. Even low levels of ammonia can be harmful to fish. I would suggest getting some prime by seachem as long as you're not running copper or other medications. When properly cycling a tank you first see an ammonia spike, followed by a nitrite spike and finally a nitrate spike.

 

[kschweer]

I wouldn't be too concerned about the nitrite spike as it is not as harmful (if at all) to saltwater fish as it was thought. I would hold off on adding anything new for a bit as well

 

[Russelm]

Thanks for all the input. Sorry I forgot to mention I added bio spira and false feed the tank until ammonia dropped to zero. I'm hopping I'm not going to sacrifice 3 fish due to my stupidity. So no water change for three weeks?

 

[Russelm]

I'm not adding anymore livestock for about a month I want to do this tank right.