Is my tank cycled or not started? NEED HELP!

[littlea8]

okay so I testing everything once again because the shrimp is completely decayed. My results were as follows:

Ammonia still stayed at 0ppm
Nitrite decreased back to 0ppm from 0.25ppm
Nitrates stayed the same at 20ppm
PH stayed the same at 7.2

So the only change was the decrease in nitrites back to 0. I was gonna test sunday but the shrimp is totally rotten and i don't think can get worse. I would think it is cycled and time for a 50% water change but then again i am a beginner. Can the professionals please help me out? what should i do? lol

 

[littlea8]

is my tank cycled or what should i do now?

 

[ryshark]

okay so after having the raw shrimp in my tank for 2 days I testing everything once again. My results were as follows:

Ammonia still stayed at 0ppm
Nitrite increased to 0.25ppm from 0ppm
Nitrates stayed the same at 20ppm
PH stayed the same at 7.2

So the only increase I noticed was a very small increase in nitrites. What does this mean and where do I go from here? Is my tank cycled?

I admit the only post I read on this thread is this last one. But here is the answer. This means that your tank is NOT completely cycled yet. However, you are getting close. The ammonia did not go up because you already have enough of the good bacteria that is eating up the ammonia and turning it into Nitrite. Now you just need to wait for the good bacteria that eats Nitrite to grow more and then your Nitrite will be at 0. At that point test your water again and you should be cycled ready to do a water change and then get a fish.