JB wrote:



I've had my tank for 5½ months, and run the light for about 12 hours
per day.. I'm not in any direct sunlight, and I've been starting to
feed my fish and fry 1x every other day for the past 3-4 days..
My Nitrates and Nitrites are still high, and my KH is low under 40ppm,
and PH is just right at around 7.2..

You could try cutting the light down but IMO this is not your
problem....if the tank is 5.5 months old and fully cycled you should not
have any nitrites at all.....nitrates yes...because these are the
bi-product of a cycled tank - that being said in my heavily planted fw
tanks I need to add nitrates for the plants and these are not lightly
stocked fish wise....so you need to look elsewhere....feeding and gravel
vacs or indeed the parameters of the water that you are adding....try
testing your tap water and then do it again 24 hours after letting the
sample sit...this could give you a clue....

I had completed a FULL water change about 12 days or so ago, and had
cleaned all the rocks, plants, glass, etc...

Your beneficial bacteria will cling to your rocks, plants and
gravel....if you do too big a clean you will have reduced this and maybe
set off the cycle again....

The algae is taking over my fry net, some of my plants, and my coral...

Hmmm, coral....what type of coral are you even considering having in a
freshwater tank? if anything other than fake the thing is dead and
polluting your water....



My swordtail just gave birth to another 40+ fry, not including the
other 14 fry from about 3 weeks ago, and two 2" adults...

These fish will breed whatever.....add livebearer to water =
fry.....what you need to be sure of is that they are not overloading
your system.....add another filter if your nitrites are only a result of
overcrowding....

Gill