75 gal cycle stall?

[Mustangman11224]

Hey all,
Im doing a 75 gal fishless cycle, and I added a biobag from my cycled ten gal tank. After 4 days of having the tank running my ammonia and nitrite was converted to nitrate over the third night. I added more ammonia, and that day I added my driftwood and my plants. Now last night I did a water change because my nitrates were at 40 and my ammonia was the same. Then today my ammonia was about the same, nitrite 0 and nitrate was at 40 ppm. I did a water change and about 5- 10 mins later I tested again ammonia was down so I added it, nitrite was a little darker but still basically 0 and my nitrate went over 40 it was a little lighter then 160.... Why are my nitrates freeking out... I don't have time to do another water change right now, but did adding plants or something spoil my cycle... I thought I was golden after adding the filter media... Now my ammonia won't change and nitrates are sky rocketing. It doesn't make sence. Btw I'm using an API liquid test kit. Thanks for any help.
Dan
Btw I read that high nitrates will spoil a cycle so that's why I been doing water changes. If this isn't true then I will
Stop the water changes. Also my driftwood leached tannins into the tank. Will that effect a cycle... I soaked It but it still leached.

 

[20cc]

Hey all,
Im doing a 75 gal fishless cycle, and I added a biobag from my cycled ten gal tank. After 4 days of having the tank running my ammonia and nitrite was converted to nitrate over the third night. I added more ammonia, and that day I added my driftwood and my plants. Now last night I did a water change because my nitrates were at 40 and my ammonia was the same. Then today my ammonia was about the same, nitrite 0 and nitrate was at 40 ppm. I did a water change and about 5- 10 mins later I tested again ammonia was down so I added it, nitrite was a little darker but still basically 0 and my nitrate went over 40 it was a little lighter then 160.... Why are my nitrates freeking out... I don't have time to do another water change right now, but did adding plants or something spoil my cycle... I thought I was golden after adding the filter media... Now my ammonia won't change and nitrates are sky rocketing. It doesn't make sence. Btw I'm using an API liquid test kit. Thanks for any help.
Dan
Btw I read that high nitrates will spoil a cycle so that's why I been doing water changes. If this isn't true then I will
Stop the water changes. Also my driftwood leached tannins into the tank. Will that effect a cycle... I soaked It but it still leached.

you was golden when you added the old biomedia .if you seeded the tank with old biomedia from old filter to new filter theoretically you would insta cycle your tank . 40 ppm nitates is not the end of the world in a planted tank . ideally you want to keep it at 10 ppm

 

[Rivercats]

Adding plants don't affect your cycle and if fast growing plants are added they can actually speed cycling.

 

[Mustangman11224]

Ok thanks everyone... I'll keep trying to cycle it and see how it does I'm going to stop water changes all together and wait it out. Thanks again!