New 55 gal tank help

[Serg]

I've set up my tank and started the fish-less cycle amounts ago today, my ammonia level has dropped twice from 4 ppm to 2 ppm and I redose it each time back to 4ppm , there hasn't been any traces of nitrites or nitrates, starting to wonder if something has gone wrong, can anyone give me some advice on what to do? Thanks

 

[Josh Jennings]

I'm new at this as well... The same thing happened to me. I gave it some time and things leveled out. I may have misread but do you not have any fish in your tank yet big so that is why you don't have any nitrate/nitrite levels. I tried to cycle my tank without fish but I was told by the awesome folk on this forum that the cycling can't begin until you have fish.

 

[CrashCourse]

...technically cycling can be done without live fish, it just can't be done without an ammonia source. Pure ammonia, fish food, and frozen shrimp are other common methods.
When ammonia is present, bacteria convert it into nitrites. Then a second bacteria colony forms and converts nitrites into nitrates. If your ammonia is being processed, nitrites should be present. How long has it been cycling? Maybe they're just too low to register yet?
Definitely right about the time though, this is not a quick process.

 

[Serg]

It's been cycling for a month now, which from what I've read in other forums that's about the time where it start to get going

 

[CrashCourse]

I'd say if the ammonia is starting to drop, you're on your way and to just give it some more time.
You may want to think about posting this in the freshwater "getting started" forum, you might get someone with more experience to answer there.

Good luck!

 

[Brookelynnb]

I'm new at this as well... The same thing happened to me. I gave it some time and things leveled out. I may have misread but do you not have any fish in your tank yet big so that is why you don't have any nitrate/nitrite levels. I tried to cycle my tank without fish but I was told by the awesome folk on this forum that the cycling can't begin until you have fish.

I was told this also, so now I have 3 fish in my tank and the cycling process is very slow.

 

[Serg]

Well there's various way to cycle your tank, from what I've read u can cycle it with fish in it but that pretty much harms them or kill them if the ammonia levels spike high , so that's why I wanted to do a fishless cycle just using pure ammonia

 

[Hholly]

You can definitely cycle without fish. In fact it's much easier to do it with pure ammonia than with fish. To the OP, you're on track. Keep an eye on your pH and if you see it start to drop, do a water change to bring it back up. You will soon start to see nitrites.

 

[Serg]

What is the Ideal Ph level I should keep it at?

 

[Hholly]

Whatever your water supply pH is should be fine, as long as it's stable. Certain fish like discus are more demanding in that regard, but most fish will adapt to your water. While cycling, the pH can be erratic and fluctuate as nitrates rise. When the pH gets below 6.5 it can stall the cycle. Doing a water change will restore the buffers in the water and raise the pH.