Cycling Questions from a Newbie

[NCKayaker]

New 55 Gallon tank.... Fishless cycling underway.
Started process 2 weeks ago using Ammonia.
Ammonia level was around 8-10 ppm for a week.
Nitrite level went up to 1.2 ppm for 2 days
Nitrate level followed... went up to 20 ppm
Continued adding Ammonia every couple days
Yesterday Ammonia at 0.2 ppm Nitrite at .2 ppm Nitrate at 16 ppm

Questions: Am I there yet? Do I add more Ammonia? Can I stock tank yet?

Any help would be greatly appreciated....

 

[Laeris]

I wait until I have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite then dose to 4ppm-which is more than fish could reasonably produce in one day. Once that disappears in a day, I know I've got a biofilter that could take down Decepticons.

You could do a water change now to drop all the levels, since you started out so high, then test it with 2-4ppm to see if it eats it in a day.

 

[ScotJudd]

I wait until I have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite then dose to 4ppm-which is more than fish could reasonably produce in one day. Once that disappears in a day, I know I've got a biofilter that could take down Decepticons.

You could do a water change now to drop all the levels, since you started out so high, then test it with 2-4ppm to see if it eats it in a day.

Totally agree!
If you want a successful and, hopefully, a loss free stocking then you need to have a robustly cycled filter. It's the pits to have to wait when all you want to do is buy some fish, but the work and the wait will pay dividends.
Your results are looking promising though.



Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

 

[Nightshark]

The waiting is the hardest part. I did a cycle the same way last year. No problems ever, since doing it this way. Just be patient!