Fishless cycle almost done!?

[nkim1994]

Hi so I think I'm almost done cycling my tank!

My nitrite wasn't dropping for awhile, then I read it may have been bc I kept dosing my ammonia back to 2 ppm after it dropped... so I stopped adding ammonia, maybe every other day put a couple drops in just to keep the bacteria from dying...

Last couple days

8/24
Ammonia .7 ppm
Nitrite 3.5
Nitrate 40 ppm
PH 7.2

8/25
0 ppm
4.5ppm
90 ppm
6.9
Did water change to drop nitrates and raise pH

8/26
0 ppm
2.0ppm
50 ppm
7.2

8/27
0 ppm
.7 ppm
10 ppm
7.2

Does it look like it's almost done? Should I dose ammonia to 1 ppm or wait till it hits 0ppm?
I'm worried that the ammonia eatting bacteria will die...

Thanks! Hopefully I can add fish soon!

 

[calfishguy]

I does sound like you are near the end. As soon as your bacteria can handle a 3 ppm raise of ammonia and reduce it to 0 ammo and 0 nitrite in 24 hours you're done.

To answer you other question beneficial bacteria can survive for upwards of a month without ammonia as long as the filter is kept wet. Don't worry about the dying.