Strange reading during cycle

[GeekLikeThat]

I am doing a fishless cycle and this morning when I tested the water, the nitrates had dropped. Did nothing to the tank other than test, and it's not planted. Here's my readings over the past several days, dosed ammonia back to 4ppm after each test:

NH3/NO2/NO3
3 / .25 / 0 (day 17 of the cycle before NO2 showed)
1 / 1 / 5
.25 / 5 / 10
.25 / 5 / 20
0 / 5 / 5

Thought the cycle was coming along nicely as the nitrites were built up off the scale, nitrates were increasing, and ammonia hit 0 after 24 hrs, but then the drop in nitrates.

Same test kit each time, API Master, and I tested twice making sure I shook the bottles and tube correctly per the instructions. I understand the test can vary some, but twice with different tubes showed the identical reading of 5.

I'm going to ride it out and see what happens tomorrow, but wondering if anyone has seen this before, or if there is something I should do? The wait to get fish is killing me....

 

[jlk]

Have you been testing your ph on a regular basis? What does it read right now?

 

[GeekLikeThat]

ph is currently at 7.8. It has been between 7.4 and 7.6 up until the last few days. At the very start of the cycle I added some ph down to get it down to 7, but it bounced right back up to 7.4. Did not add any more since the third day.

 

[flitabout]

Don't add anything to change your ph unless it gets 6.5 or lower. Low PH will actually slow down or stop your cycle altogether. You may also try a 50% water change.

 

[jlk]

I agree on the water change. Your 5+ nitrite levels are throwing things out of whack and stalling your cycle. No ph chemicals either as a low ph will stall a cycle as well.

 

[GeekLikeThat]

Tested again this morning and got the same reading of 5 for nitrates. Did the 50% PWC as suggested and then tested. Nitrites were a lighter shade, probably between 2 and 5. Nitrates were somewhere between 20 and 40. Tap water is 0 nitrates, I tested again to be sure.

I had added some API Quick Start 11 or 12 days ago that I forgot about, and after reading some other folks' experiences with the bottled bacteria, I am thinking that may have been messing with my readings. This is my second 50% PWC since adding the Quick Start.

Thanks for the help, I'll test again tomorrow and see what happens.

 

[FishieMomma]

Good luck. I'm not surprised that the bottled bacteria didn't work out. It seems like a logical thing to buy and many chain stores and LFSs push it - so don't feel bad for using it. If you are like the rest of us you'll learn many lessons the hard way.