Hello I'm having some issues with the cycling method for my saltwater tank. I have a 40 gallon breeder tank with live sand and life rock with a hang on filter. It's heated to about 80 degrees and the salinity is about 1.024. Before I added the ammonia drops on day 1, I had .5 Ammonia and 0 nitrites. Unfortunately I didn't see until later not to add ammonia until mine from the live sand was down to 0. I added the dosage of one and only bacteria along with 4 drops per gallon of ammonia. Day 2 I had 2 ammonia and .25 nitrites. Day three I didn't add more ammonia because I was reading 2 ammonia again and .25 nitrites. Day 4, 2 ammonia and 2 nitrites. Day 5 same thing. It seems I'm at a stand still. Do I continue to wait it out or do I go with a water change? If so how much water do I change? I used a 60 gallon dosage of one and only as well and only added ammonia drops on day 1 as well. PH has been about 8 every day. Also want to add that the nitrate reading was 20ppm on day 5 if that matters at all. Sorry, saltwater newbie here!
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