Cycling question for planted tank

[monaro_gto]

Cycle question,
From early on I have been dosing 4ppm of ammo and it was taking several days to be processed backed to 1ppm, I have been seeing Nitrites for almost 2 weeks. Nitrates are staying low around the 5ppm but im guessing that is because it is a planted tank? Ho long should it take until Nitrites will convert back to 0?

Also Ammonia is going from 4ppm to under 1ppm in under 12 hours so should i does 4ppm every 12 hours?

40g breeder, canister filter, blasting sand substrate, driftwood and rock.

 

[Mebbid]

It's my understanding that ammonia is generally utilized before nitrates because the plants have an easier time using it. Not sure how true that is but I don't have any proof against it.

I would expect things to start speeding up over the next week or so.

I would only dose the ammonia once a day. It isn't going to help anything by adding more than that.

 

[fishrex]

I'll extend the original question with this one.

What is the recommended process to cycle a planted tank?

 

[Rivercats]

It's the same thing as cycling without plants... dosing to 4ppm is the general rule of thumb. Then follow the same procedure as you normally would.

 

[aqua_chem]

It's my understanding that ammonia is generally utilized before nitrates because the plants have an easier time using it. Not sure how true that is but I don't have any proof against it.

This is true, verified by SCIENCE!. It was published in an actual journal.


I would probably back off on the ammonia if your nitrite gets too high. Too much might be toxic to bacteria and stunt your cycle. If your ammonia is rip-roaring along, then you could accumulate a lot of nitrite (1 ppm ammonia = ~3 ppm nitrite). Once established and not under assault from an antibiotic, our beneficial bacteria are pretty tough buggers.

As far as timeline in concerned, I don't even start to worry about a cycle being late until past the two month mark. These things take time.