Cycling with ammonia

[Ronigun]

Hi guys. I need advice. I'm ready to loose it.Getting up every morning. Zero ammonia, nitrites around 1. ( I've been following Spec tanks calculator for ammonia to add. So I added his recommended amount and tested it about 1 hr later.( I originally started with 4*ppm. I've been trying to keep it at 2. ) So anyways his calculator is waaaay off. For the amount he suggested is like 3 times too little. I wasn't putting in enough ammonia. I never tested after I added the ammonia. How dumb of me. 1 month today. Questions. Can I salvage this? 36g. I couldn't figure out why the ammonia was gone in hrs not 24 hrs. If yes what amount would I ad?
Thanks for help anyone.

 

[Aiken Drum]

I would bring the ammonia up slowly. Add the ammonia you have been doing. Test. If needed add some more. Test. Keep doing this until you are at 2ppm. Keep a record of how much this took so you know how much next time. Or get a bucket or tote of water, bring it up to 2ppm ammonia and work out how much is needed from there. Be aware that ammonia can cycle out very quickly, so you might not be able to get it to 2ppm in your tank.

What are you using to dose ammonia?

Can you salvage it? There is nothing to salvage, you are doing fine. Your tank is cycling out ammonia, it just appears you should be adding some more ammonia and you need to wait for the nitrite to nitrate stage to complete. This takes time. You havent been at it long, remember you probably killed off your cycle by not dechlorinating water.