where did my nitrates go?

[stenchx]

So earlier February I started fish less cycling a 40 gal aquarium added pure ammonia and watched the nature do its thing on march 2 I tested my water and the results were Ph 7.6 ammonia 0 nitrites 5.0 nitrates 40 so I added ammonia, on the 3rd I decided to do a water change so I left some water in a bin to age, after I came from work I tested my water before the water change and it read a Ph 7.6 ammonia 0 nitrates 5.0 nitrates 10. So I just want to know what happened where did my nitrates go? And what do I do now.

[trong]

this is the nitrogen cycle as you know. bacteria feeds on ammonia and becomes nitrite, feeds, and becomes nitrate. without getting to scientific they restocked to consume nitrite. nitrite will drop and nitrate will rise to become stable bacteria working to beat ammonia and nitrite. IMO stop ammonia and let it ripen, when it's stable do water change then add fish. should take 6 weeks

[discussmith]

The two ways nitrate is removed from water are it's used by plants or anerobic bacteria turn it into nitrogen gas.