Is patience the key? Cycling

[44Paps44]

Hello, just trying to get some reassurance that I'm on the bright road to progress with my 56 gallon column tank and the cycle process.
Aqueon 75 filter
Submersible water heater

I'm in week two of fishless cycle and results this morning are
7.4 ph
2.0 NY (dosed to 4ppm yesterday)
5.0+ Nitrite
20 Nitrate

Any advice on where I am in the process and suggestions on getting down the home stretch. After reading here, I will not continually dose to 4ppm NH as suggested and halve that.

Help is appreciated.

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[librarygirl]

Hi and welcome! Ammonia is dropping and you have nitrites, that's a good sign and actually good progress for two weeks (assuming the nitrites and/or nitrates aren't coming from your tap water). How long have nitrites been high? The nitrite phase is the longest, typically lasting a few weeks before they drop. If they are at high levels for a long period it can stall things. So if they've been 5+ for a week or more, you could try a full water change (as much water as you can), wait an hour or so and then test nitrite again. If they're still high, do another water change. Keep going until they're a readable level on the chart (<2 is ideal). Then redose ammonia.

 

[44Paps44]

Thanks for your reply. Nitrites and Nitrates were both at zero when starting out. Nitrites appeared about 4 days ago, spiking to current levels about two days ago. Nitrates began to appear about two days ago as well. Been keeping the ammonia dosage at approximately 4ppm until now (once every other day or so). The abnormality is that I did add a bit (10ml I believe) of pre-bottled bacteria (on the advice of pet store clerk) but discontinued after reading up on it here.

I just picked up a live plant to add in, any suggestions on how and when to add. It's an Assorted Sword Plant.

Also have a couple more decorations/ornaments to add in. Same question about adding to tank procedures. Any method better than others?

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

For the live plant dig a little hole in your substrate and gently cover the roots, plants will help your cycle so more is better. For fake decorations just push the base into the substrate so that it's secure be sure to rinse them clean first though

 

[Caliban07]

+1 on nitrites taking at least 3 weeks to start coming down. I would half ammonia dose as you say and dose every few days now but it's up to you.

 

[44Paps44]

Today's test results. Time for 50% pwc?

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[44Paps44]

Ammonia levels will drop but no reduction in Nitrites yet...

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