Just need advice

[Richards Aquarium]

Rock was tranported from was LFS put in Styrofoam with wet paper towel. Who knows how old it was from them and was added to my tank only a week ago and it had a 15 min ride home. I also added two more pieces of live rock and two big pieces of lava rock I also added some regular rock "see picture" I added second power head. I have a question ? My Ammonia has been 0 now for 6 days. Tank was started on 10- 24 -23 nitrite is 5 and I'm not sure what nitrate is guessing 80 hard for me to read test can you tell.me what you think ?"see picture" I used tetra quick start and microbacter quick cycle couple days after tank was up. So I did a 25 gallon water change last night and it didn't change nitrate level still high. I'm not sure what to do at this point. Do I add anything a piece of uncooked shrimp or more bacteria. Tanks been up for 15 days. Plants are plastic should I take out ? And the rock that is not marine rock is it ok to keep in ?

 

[Nano_Man]

I would take the plastic plants out your tank looks better with out them imo . Api won’t give you a accurate reading try salfert test kits much better or if you can afford it hanna testers . Ammonia should rise and fall nitrite rise and fall leaving you with nitrate reading . Have you followed your ammonia cycle with a test kit did it rise and fall

 

[Richards Aquarium]

I would take the plastic plants out your tank looks better with out them imo . Api won’t give you a accurate reading try salfert test kits much better or if you can afford it hanna testers . Ammonia should rise and fall nitrite rise and fall leaving you with nitrate reading . Have you followed your ammonia cycle with a test kit did it rise and fall

 

[Dburr1014]

Don't test nitrate with a nitrite reading, it will be false.

You did you water change, add a fish.

The rock you added has the bacteria you need to support the life.
What is lava rock?
You should only use dead skeleton rock.
Also as said, plastic plants don't look right and will break down over time. Best to leave them in the fresh water tanks.

 

[Jedi1199]

As stated above... Plastic plants are for FW tanks.

Take out the Lava rock and the "regular" rock. Either replace with more live rock or Dry rock specifically for SW tanks. Freshwater rocks leech out minerals that are not advisable for SW or reef systems.

 

[kevgib67]

^ what they said. Do a large water change, your cycled, and slowly add fish. 1-2 every few weeks. Start with least aggressive first and add the more aggressive last. Are you from Youngstown Ohio?