Stop torturing yourself and your fellow thread readers ! Just go to your lfs and throw some fish in ! My lfs had a sale on zebra danios 5 for a buck . It will help your cycle and let you start enjoying your tank.
The fish will survive. Just do frequent partial water changes. Put those testing chemicals away for now!
This is how tanks were set up for decades!
To suggest that the hundreds of thousands aquarists who have successfully performed in fish cycling since the 1850's are irresponsible fish keepers is completely ludicrous.
160ppm nitrate? I'd be surprised if your PH hasn't crashed.
Several partial water changes might be needed. Nitrate is acidic you know.
Pls don't take my posts as personal attacks.
The response was towards jlk's remark about being responsible by not adding fish until the tank is fully cycled.
I know understand that she may have been referring to the fishless method
Your doing fine so dont worry!!!
NO3 is not acidic. HNO3 is acidic.