Need some advice/help with my fishless cycling please

[Caliban07]

It took me 18 days to fishless cycle my 10g tank using pure household ammonia. Once the nitrites were skyhigh I just left it until my nitrAtes were over 80 on the API test kit before doing any water changes. I only had to do 2 water changes... nitrites were still unreadable (high) but the nitrAtes were down to 20ish. I then kept feeding 3 drops of ammonia (using an eyedropper) per day until both my ammonina and nitrites were reading 0 for 3 days in a row. My nitrAtes never went higher than 20 again, but I have live plants....

How much ammonia were you dosing and how often?

 

[dsun]

Got a question, can i add Tertra safe start or some bacteria in a bottle to "speed" up my cycle midway? or are those only designed for new tanks without any bacteria in the filter media?

What happens if i use some bacteria in bottle now?

 

[dsun]

Exciting update!
After leaving my tank alone for 48 hrs without dosing ammo
My nitrites are down to 1ppm! It was barney purple 5ppm everyday before and this is the first time its gone down by itself without water changes.

Going to do a 50% wc And redose ammo to 2ppm and see what happens tmrw

o, i also got alot of white specs...is that the bacteria? i did add a tiny bit of crushed cichlid crisp a few days ago...

 

[Masha]

That's great! Hopefully you'll be done soon. Geussing white specks are from the crisp.

 

[dsun]

That's great! Hopefully you'll be done soon. Geussing white specks are from the crisp.

Thanks!

could use your guys help with ID the colors....they are way to close...I think its 2.0ppm. But hoping that it may be 1? Still a huge improvement in that it does not turn a immediate Barney purple when drops go in.

Color changes a bit with lightning

 

[dsun]

O M G!

My nitrites are at 0!!!

Last night they were still purple, now after 24 hrs, after 2ppm ammo. All 0!

Going to redose to 3ppm ammo and see how it is tommorow!!

Wow this was a quick cycle if this is true. Started on 10/16 55G
Only seed was from 2 days ago with ceramic ring in front of output value

 

[Masha]

There you go !

 

[dsun]

There you go !

soi excited!!!!

 

[dsun]

My tank is now cycling 2ppm ammo and up to 5ppm nitrite in 24 hrs for last few days.
I dont plan on doing a full stock right away so no need to go up to 4ppm. Going to introduce a bushy nose pleco, then a few peacocks this week.

THanks everyone for their help and input! Ill post some pics as the tank grows

 

[Fishperson]

My tank is now cycling 2ppm ammo and up to 5ppm nitrite in 24 hrs for last few days.
I dont plan on doing a full stock right away so no need to go up to 4ppm. Going to introduce a bushy nose pleco, then a few peacocks this week.

THanks everyone for their help and input! Ill post some pics as the tank grows

Good move! Even a fully stocked tank won't produce anywhere near 4 ppm of ammo in a day anyway IME.