cycling with household ammonia

[Glene20]

I started cycling my tank yesterday using household ammonia. I raised ammonia to about 4ppm. I checked ammonia levels today and its almost at zero. After just one day. Is this normal??

 

[bud29]

I started cycling my tank yesterday using household ammonia. I raised ammonia to about 4ppm. I checked ammonia levels today and its almost at zero. After just one day. Is this normal??

Are you using seeded filter media from a pre-established tank? Without seeded media it is pretty abnormal for it to drop that much on the first day. What are your readings for nitrite and nitrate?

 

[Glene20]

I just checked nitrates there high. Going to check nitrates now. . I have gravel from an old tank but I washed all the gravel before I put it in new tank to avoid any diseases.

 

[bud29]

I just checked nitrates there high. Going to check nitrates now. . I have gravel from an old tank but I washed all the gravel before I put it in new tank to avoid any diseases.

It does seem like the ammonia has been turnes into nitrites. If the nitrites are off-the-charts high, do a 50% water change, or enough to get them back to a readable level. Then, add more ammonia, only this time a bit less, about 2 ppm or so.