1yr new, still learning....

If this is a freshwater tank you don't have a cleanup crew.

 

Why? BC freshwater fish are cheap to replace?

 

You can do ghost shrimp or a pleco and there's a couple other (fish) that will feed on algae, other then that there isn't anything else you can use as a clean up crew

 

I have fish!!!!
Im so horrible, I cant the life of me remember what they are!

 

They move so fast I cant get a good pic!

 

Geez I swear sometimes I cant remember the simplest things.
So I now have 2 albino corys, 2 zebra Danios, and a few watersprites.

 

Uuhm I think I should've waited a few more days.
Nitrites are at 2.0
Thats gonna go down right??
Poor fishies. ;(

 

Nitrites or nitrates? The nitrites should turn into nitrates if your bacteria was established. You can try a small water change.

 

Yep nitrites 2.0
Nitrates 30
Ammonia 0
I did a small wc a couple days ago,
about 3gal, and rinsed the filters in the tank water.

 

What works for one may not work for others or others may not agree... LOL

With my freshwater I never did more than one thing at a time. Either I cleaned my filter/pads. Did a water change. Cleaned the glass.
Especially with a young tank, try not to do too much at once.
As long as your not over feeding the filter pads should be able to go a bit before rinsing them out. If your having nitrate problems a water change will help more and the pads will help with keeping beneficial bacteria. That's what worked for me...
Also try not to add to much at once. Two a week give or take will allow the time for your bio filter to adjust.