Cycle

[AlexVic]

Hello
I’ve been cycling my 40 gallon tank for more than 2 weeks. My ammonia has been around 0.25 for the past few days while my nitrite has been 0. My nitrates is 2.5 and it’s slowly going up 0.1-0.3 everyday. Is my tank ready for fish and should I do a water change?

 

[twentyleagues]

Api test kit? Did you ever get a nitrite reading? What did you originally dose ammonia to? What bacteria did you use? Dry rock?
I wouldnt worry about a water change at that low level. Depending on other answers I'd say yes for fish.

 

[AlexVic]

Api test kit? Did you ever get a nitrite reading? What did you originally dose ammonia to? What bacteria did you use? Dry rock?
I wouldnt worry about a water change at that low level. Depending on other answers I'd say yes for fish.

I used api test kit for nitrite and borrowed Hanna checkers for ammonia and nitrates.

I never got a nitrite reading but I was told that’s normal because it’s turn into nitrate really fast.

I used fish pellets for ammonia and Dr.tims nitrifying bacteria.

I used caribsea life rock.

 

[PharmrJohn]

And here you're gonna find differing answers depending on the person. When I cycle my build, I'm ghost feeding x2 months with lights out x2.5 months. But I'm VERY conservative with the process. I want my ammonia at zero.

 

[twentyleagues]

I used api test kit for nitrite and borrowed Hanna checkers for ammonia and nitrates.

I never got a nitrite reading but I was told that’s normal because it’s turn into nitrate really fast.

I used fish pellets for ammonia and Dr.tims nitrifying bacteria.

I used caribsea life rock.

Not usually true. The nitrite to nitrate process usually takes longer than ammonia to nitrite. What was the highest ammonia concentration? Probably not been long enough. It takes some time for the pellets to create ammonia then the bacteria to start to work. I doubt two weeks is enough time could be wrong though. Ammonium chloride is a much cleaner more accurate way to do this. The nitrate reading you are getting could just be from the nitrate in the fish food itself and ammonia produced from rotting has not yet really begun, very little anyway. If you have only registered .25 ammonia as the highest amount its really up in the air at this point especially with out seeing the nitrite spike. I would get some ammonium and dose it to 2ppm and see how long that takes to drop if its cycled it will take about 24hrs or less.

 

[AlexVic]

Not usually true. The nitrite to nitrate process usually takes longer than ammonia to nitrite. What was the highest ammonia concentration? Probably not been long enough. It takes some time for the pellets to create ammonia then the bacteria to start to work. I doubt two weeks is enough time could be wrong though. Ammonium chloride is a much cleaner more accurate way to do this. The nitrate reading you are getting could just be from the nitrate in the fish food itself and ammonia produced from rotting has not yet really begun, very little anyway. If you have only registered .25 ammonia as the highest amount its really up in the air at this point especially with out seeing the nitrite spike. I would get some ammonium and dose it to 2ppm and see how long that takes to drop if its cycled it will take about 24hrs or less.

My ammonia was 0.5 4 days ago so it’s has gone down. When it reaches 0 will the nitrite spike?

 

[twentyleagues]

My ammonia was 0.5 4 days ago so it’s has gone down. When it reaches 0 will the nitrite spike?

You should be able to see the nitrite already if ammonia is being processed. Thats why I am worried.

 

[AlexVic]

You should be able to see the nitrite already if ammonia is being processed. Thats why I am worried.

I see. I’ll wait 3 more days and see if I get a nitrite reading.