Still Cycling?

[drillsar2]

Doing Fishless Cycle with pure ammonia

Adding -5 drops of Ammonia per day

I thought I be finished by now, tank started April 4th

Right now

Ammonia 0
Nitrite 1.0
Nitrate 160 ppm

Should I do a water change to lower Nitrate as I heard that can stall the cycle.

I have live plants in there, I never seen Nitrite go more then 1 is that normal?

I have temp at 78 but can I raise temp with plants?

 

[gzeiger]

How big a tank is this? What is the ammonia level after you add it?

Most plants will be pretty tolerant of temperature changes, but 78 is fine.

160 nitrate is really high. I would think you're about done at this point. How long have you had nitrite readings? That should go away within a week, typically, and then you're done once you change water to get nitrate to an acceptable level.

Plants will moderate the nitrite spike. They absorb all the forms of nitrogen you test for. They can also stall the cycle by absorbing the ammonia before the bacteria can get to it (which also means that enough plants can be substituted for the cycle if you just want to add a few fish).

I'd be patient for a few more days, but it might not hurt to raise the ammonia dose and/or dose more frequently so that the nitrites build up a little more. The bacteria will grow more rapidly with more food available.

If this were my tank, I would do about 75% water change for that nitrate level, but I'm not sure it's strictly necessary.

 

[drillsar2]

Well weird thing is this,

My API Drip Test kt reads
Nitrite 1 PPM
Nitrate 160PPM
Ammonia 0

I think I put to much ammonia in the first time so that usually means Nitrite last longer correct?

I addded more Ammonia today it is staying at 0 so thats good

Test Strips
Nitrite off the charts higest level 10ppm
Nitrate off the charts 200ppm
Ammonia 0

Can the two tests be this off? I just raised my tank temp a little to 82 and added more Air.

 

[drillsar2]

O I just did 50% PWC and added more ammonia, I will test latr tonight, I read somewhere that if your Nitrate is over 80 ppm it can stall your cycle.

 

[gzeiger]

I agree that is an awful lot of nitrate. I don't know what level is harmful, but I don't see anything wrong with changing water as long as you use a dechlorinator and re-dose ammonia.

I think you're doing the right thing, though, to add enough ammonia to get a significant nitrite reading. The more abundant the food the better the bacteria will grow.