Is my cycle finished?

[Calvin77]

Hello,

I'm currently on Day 30 of my fishless cycle in my new 123L tank.

I've done two fishless cycles before, which were straightforward, but this one hasn't followed the usual pattern. I haven't seen a Nitrite Spike or a massive increase in Nitrates.

I can't tell if that's because the cycle has finished or if it's yet to happen. I did use seeded media and also some bottled bacteria.

My current readings are 0.5ppm of Ammonia, 0ppm Nitrite and 5ppm Nitrate.

The Ammonia does decrease after I redose it, but it hasn't dropped to 0. I currently have probably 100ish Mini Ramhorns and a Pond snail (hitchhikers from new plants... urgh) in there. Which are all be pooping and contributing to Ammonia.

So is my cycle finished? Do I do a water change to reduce Ammonia and Nitrates and then transfer my Betta over with the rest of my seeded plants, logs, stones and gravel?

It will just be my lovely Betta living in 27 Gallons - along with the snails, which I will cull at some point.

Thanks for any advice, cycle journal is below!

DAY 1 ~ 17/04/2020
- Setup tank, added 123L of conditioned water.
- Heated to 27 degrees.
- Dosed Ammonia to 4ppm

DAY 4 ~ 21/04/2020
- Ammonia still 4ppm (Tested water with API Test Kit)
- Added some of my seeded filter media, couple of boss balls and a Java Fern from my other tank.

DAY 13 ~ 30/04/2020
- Ammonia still 4ppm (Tested water with API Test Kit)
- Added does bottled bacteria

DAY 18 ~ 05/05/2020
- Ammonia still 4ppm (Tested water with API Test Kit)
- Added some new plants from Ebay

DAY 19 ~ 06/05/2020
- I now have a Pond Snail and explosion of Mini Ramshorn snails from the new plants...

DAY 20 ~ 07/05/2020
- Ammonia finally drops to 0.5ppm
- Redosed Ammonia to 2ppm

DAY 21 ~ 08/05/2020
- Ammonia is 4ppm (I must have overdosed?)
- Nitrites 0.5ppm
- Nitrates 5ppm.

DAY 22 ~ 09/05/2020
- Ammonia is 4ppm

DAY 23 ~ 10/05/2020
- Ammonia is 1ppm.
- I don't redose it.

DAY 24 ~ 11/05/2020
- Ammonia is still 1ppm
- I don't redose it.

DAY 25 ~ 12/05/2020
- Ammonia is 0.25ppm
- Redosed to 2ppm

DAY 26 ~ 13/05/2020
- Ammonia is 4ppm (Overdosed slightly again?)

DAY 27 ~ 14/05/2020
- Ammonia is 2ppm

DAY 28 ~ 15/05/2020
- Ammonia 1ppm
- Nitrite 0ppm
- Nitrate 5ppm

DAY 29 ~ 16/05/2020
- Ammonia 1ppm
- Nitrite 0ppm
- Nitrate 5ppm

DAY 30 ~ 17/05/2020
- Ammonia 1ppm
- Nitrite 0ppm
- Nitrate 5ppm

 

[TMaier]

Your ammonia hasn’t dropped to 0 once? Any PWC picking up bound ammonia from conditioned water? Or issue with test kit?

 

[Calvin77]

Your ammonia hasn’t dropped to 0 once? Any PWC picking up bound ammonia from conditioned water? Or issue with test kit?

Hi,

The lowest I've read it at is 0.25, but I do have some decaying plant matter which I chucked it from my other tank, and the snail waste, so could that be stopping it from reaching 0?

Also the test kit is three years old, with an expiration date of 2022. Could the kit be off?

Thanks

= Edit =
I've just tested freshly conditioned tap water and ammonia looks like 0.25ppm...

 

[TMaier]

Take some bottled water and test it. If it come in with ammonia you’ll know the test kit is suspect.

 

[TMaier]

Conditioned tap has bound ammonia in it and will show up on a test. But your bacteria or plants should consume that and drop it to 0.

 

[Calvin77]

My new API kit just arrived. I've tested the water with both the new and old kits and there was some slight variance.

Ammonia (redosed last night)
Old Kit 0.5ppm / New Kit 1ppm

Nitrites
Old Kit 0ppm / New Kit 0.25ppm

Nitrates
Old Kit 5ppm / New Kit 5ppm


I'm going to stop redosing Ammonia until I see a definite drop to 0.

 

[TMaier]

You are getting close.