The cycle is progressing. The ammonia has been 0 for 5 days. I'm in the nitrite is high and has been difficult to read phase. I'm guessing it has been 5+. So knowing this can stall the cycle, and seeing that the ammonia is being converted to nitrite, I did a 60% water change yesterday. After that, I tested again and the nitrite was still purply-pink but it deepened more slowly. I gave the tank a dose of ammonia (1 ppm)
This morning, I tested again and the nitrite was still deep purply-pink. Is that a 2 or a 5 or a 5+? I just can't tell. So I got out the buckets again and did a 80% water change (which is as much as I can siphon without moving plants, rocks, etc). After that, the ammonia was still 0, but the nitrite was .25. I dosed the ammonia back to 1 ppm. So the nitrite is finally at a level I can read, and hopefully something that the bacteria can get munching on, especially after todays ammonia is processed.
To those who are following this, thanks. I just proves that every cycle takes its own path to completion. I'm really hoping that I see a readable nitrite level tomorrow. Right now I'm not even bothering to check nitrates again until I see the nitrite going down.
My plants and snails are doing well in the meantime. Ill post a progress pic in a few days.