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All good again today, I did an 80% water change in the end, the resulting nitrate level is 10-20ppm (I really struggle to differentiate the oranges on the API test kit!). Fish probably tomorrow then, assuming a clean test result then. Thanks again to everybody who has offered their help.

Zero ammonia and nitrites today, so I think I’m essentially cycled. Nitrates still at 40ppm (maybe a tad less, hard to be sure with the test colours) as expected. I think I’ll not add ammonia today and test again tomorrow just to make sure things are stable, then do a 50% water change tomorrow...

My tap water nitrate level is 10ppm incidentally.

Right, I think I’m close, because ammonia is zero also. Isn’t the nitrate level too high still though? I plan to start with six neon tetras btw. (I dosed 2ml of ammonia today, fully expect that to be zero tomorrow, but not so sure about nitrites, as today was the first time they’d reached zero.)

48 hours (possibly less, I wasn’t able to test yesterday).

Update: nitrites at zero today for the first time since the tank was started. Nitrates still present and up there at 40ppm though, which I’m taking to be a good sign (i.e. nitrite conversion process is underway). I’ll keep an eye on that nitrate level in the coming days - I’m assuming the plants...

Thanks. It’s a terrible picture but it does have a lid, and the rock formation is a kind of wall with substrate filled in behind it, so no hiding places as such.

Understood, thanks again.

Today I got a 10pm nitrate reading btw, to go with the usual 0 ammonia and 2ppm nitrite. This makes a little more sense to me!

Here’s a picture from a couple of days ago to show the planting level etc:

Forgot to say, I was adding 5ml of ammonia (to get to 4ppm) because I was getting a zero ammonia reading within 24 hours, which I took to mean that the good bacteria had “eaten” it all, and that I should continue at (at least) this level to ensure they have enough to feed on while there are no...

Ok, thanks guys. I’ll take Aiken’s advice for now as it seems a little less drastic than almost starting again. I’m in absolutely no rush to add fish, enjoying the planted tank as it is already. Just wanted to make sure it was simply a matter of time rather than something going wrong. (I have...

Hi guys, I’m currently fishless cycling my first aquarium, a 100 litre tropical tank. I thought my thousands of hours of research was enough, but apparently not, so please read on! The tank is quite heavily planted, and the plants are doing well. I have been water testing daily and feeding Dr...