Uh oh another cycling thread...

[Pauline]

Hi guys,

So I'm just a little worried about my 20gal tank. I started a fishless cycle about ten days ago and a lot has happened but I've seen no rise in nitrites whatsoever. On my first day, I set up my HOB filter, filled the tank, substrate, etc. and increased to ammonia to 4.0 ppm with janitorial strength ammonia. A few days in, I purchased seachem prime because I was worried about the tap water killing off the bacteria. So, I added enough for my tank size. Later that day, the ammonia read between .5 and 1.0 ppm ammonia. So, I brought the ammonia back up to 4.0 ppm.
The past few days, I've seen no change in ammonia or nitrite. Shouldn't I be seeing a change?
According to the seachem prime associates, you can add prime to the tank every 48 hours while cycling. I added more prime yesterday and have seen no change in my parameters.

Help? Am I just being impatient?

Thanks

 

[DutchMuch]

After you add ammonia, do not add anymore. and it takes weeks if not a month to cycle a tank. So I would wait a lot longer

 

[Pauline]

Thanks for the quick reply.
I'm aware that the cycle itself will take some time but, I thought maybe I'd see progress by now. Have I added to much ammonia? Should I be doing a water change?

 

[DutchMuch]

25 percent water changes everyweek, then when it cycled 50 percent until you take the tank down.