greyboysix
Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Hey y'all. Back again. This time I have a question about my cycle. I'm doing a fishless one, as everyone recommends. Anyway, I'm on day 17 of the cycle, and I'm worried that something may have gone kinda wrong. I'll preface this by saying I use an API Freshwater Master Test Kit. My Ammonia cycle started about five days in; decreasing slowly at first, then more rapidly. My nitrites spiked to 5ppm at day 8. MY nitrates have hovered between 5 and 10ppm, seemingly dropping to exactly 5ppm for two days (which are days 10 and 11 in the cycle) and then returning to between 5 and 10ppm. My pH has remained rock solid at between 8.0 and 8.2 (the shade on the test kid is somewhere between the two), and I think that's due to using crushed coral as my substrate. Anyhow, my nitrites have been at 5ppm for ten days now, and I'm wondering if this is normal, or if it should have started coming down by now. Also, as for the "stuttering" part of the subject line, my ammonia level has been doing something odd. Since day seven, the first time it hit zero, I have added ammonia to the tank to keep the level at about 4ppm. I only have added the ammonia when it hits zero, as that was recommended to me by someone at the lfs. The odd thing is this: after I add one tablespoon of pure ammonia to the (29 gallon) tank, it hits 4ppm. Then, the next day, when I take my readings, it's at .25. Next day, same thing, .25. Then the day after that, it's zero. It keeps following exactly the same pattern. If the level reads zero tomorrow, it will be the fourth cycle like this. This is odd, right? Perhaps I'm using my kit wrong, or am taking even the slightest little smidge of green in the tube too seriously? Help! Thanks in advance!