39 gallon tank fishless cycling, with Dr Tim's ammonia

[Apex_wolf]

So I'm trying to do ammonia for cycling, started fresh yesterday , added api quick start and 4 drops ammonia per 1 gallon minus 20% for plants amd decor so I added apx 25 drops I also added api quick start and secham stability.
This am 2 ppm ammonia
0.5 nitrite
5ppm nitrate

This afternoon api test kit
2ppm ammonia
0 nitrite
5 ppm nitrate

Top fin test kit
2 ppm ammonia
0.25 nitrite
5ppm nitrate

So where are my nitrite gone ? Or is api not reliable

Ty in advance

 

[Fishfur]

The way it works is that ammonia is converted into nitrite and nitrite is converted into nitrate.

So nitrite ‘goes’ to make nitrate. That you already see nitrate is very good, very fast too.

Nitrite sometimes never shows up on tests in a cycle, sometimes it rises very high and hangs around for ages, no two cycles are the same.

But the fact you ‘had’ nitrite and now have none but have nitrate is exactly what you want to see.

Once the tank can convert 2 ppm ammonia into nitrate inside 24 hours, with tests reading zero ammonia, zero nitrite and any amount of nitrate, that’s the cycle done, though it’s still wise to add fish slowly, not all at one time.

 

[Apex_wolf]

Thanks

The way it works is that ammonia is converted into nitrite and nitrite is converted into nitrate.

So nitrite ‘goes’ to make nitrate. That you already see nitrate is very good, very fast too.

Nitrite sometimes never shows up on tests in a cycle, sometimes it rises very high and hangs around for ages, no two cycles are the same.

But the fact you ‘had’ nitrite and now have none but have nitrate is exactly what you want to see.

Once the tank can convert 2 ppm ammonia into nitrate inside 24 hours, with tests reading zero ammonia, zero nitrite and any amount of nitrate, that’s the cycle done, though it’s still wise to add fish slowly, not all at one time.

Thank you I seem have same readings as yesterday I will just keep checking