Is this a good thing? -CYCLE-

[jennymph]

Been cycling my tank (fishless and pure ammonia and established filter media added on day 17) for 22 days now and these are my readings.
Roughly between 1-2 ppm Ammonia
No nitrites
40-80ppm Nitrates (sky rocketed, was 5ppm on day 20)
It's just confusing as I've not seen Nitrites apart from day 16-19 where they were 0.25ppm
Would like some clarification please tried to find this info on other posts but can't quite relate.
Many thanks fish friends xo

 

[ZxC]

Looks fine to me, you are getting close, just wait for the tank to consume the added ammonia within 24 hours resulting in 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and some nitrates and you're set. Every cycle is different, so yes your levels are "normal".

Remember, there are 2 type of bacteria we need to colonize, perhaps you have sufficient populations for nitrite to nitrate but not sufficient for ammonia to nitrite.

 

[King Fisher]

Let the parameters hit 0ppm ammonia, 0 nitrites and around 20-40 ppm nitrates then do a water change of 25%. Add fish. Your water seems good to me and nearly cycled.

 

[jennymph]

Let the parameters hit 0ppm ammonia, 0 nitrites and around 20-40 ppm nitrates then do a water change of 25%. Add fish. Your water seems good to me and nearly cycled.

Ammonia is 0.25ppm today, was 0.5ppm yesterday, 0 nitrites and 40-80ppm. Heavily planted now so wondering if I need to dose ammonia back up to 1ppm when it hits 0 until I add the fish. As I don't want the bacteria to die but I also don't want my plants to die! Very, very close, don't want to make any drastic differences.
So, add enough for .5ppm when it hits 0 Ammonia instead and see if it drops in 24 hrs?
(Using fertilisers for my plants too to keep them healthy Then I'll do my water changes to get Nitrates down and pH rebalanced and then grab some fish!)

 

[jennymph]

40-80ppm Nitrates**

 

[King Fisher]

Ammonia is 0.25ppm today, was 0.5ppm yesterday, 0 nitrites and 40-80ppm. Heavily planted now so wondering if I need to dose ammonia back up to 1ppm when it hits 0 until I add the fish. As I don't want the bacteria to die but I also don't want my plants to die! Very, very close, don't want to make any drastic differences.
So, add enough for .5ppm when it hits 0 Ammonia instead and see if it drops in 24 hrs?
(Using fertilisers for my plants too to keep them healthy Then I'll do my water changes to get Nitrates down and pH rebalanced and then grab some fish!)

I wouldn't dose any ammonia. If your tank is now lowering and eventually zeroing out your ammonia and nitrites then it's cycled. Maybe wait until tomorrow and test the water again.

 

[King Fisher]

40-80ppm Nitrates**

You won't lose beneficial Bacteria from where you are at now. If your tank is cycling out ammonia and nitrites then it means you now have effective amounts of beneficial bacteria and your tank is cycled

 

[jennymph]

Fabulous thank you! So when it gets to 0, should I do the water change then even if I'm not adding the fish to get the nitrates down? Will be adding the fish by the end of the week though and will keep my eye on it each day until

 

[King Fisher]

Fabulous thank you! So when it gets to 0, should I do the water change then even if I'm not adding the fish to get the nitrates down? Will be adding the fish by the end of the week though and will keep my eye on it each day until

Yes. Get the nitrates down. Do about a 25% water change every day until it is low. Maybe 5-10 ppm before adding fish

 

[jennymph]

Thank you for all your help I'm so excited!

 

[King Fisher]

Thank you for all your help I'm so excited!

Let me know when you add the fish.

 

[flitabout]

Yep you did it and got it done pretty darn quick!!!!