your views advice on my tank cycle

[chadders]

Hi folks been cycling my tank 260Lt since 10th Feb using Seachem Prime and Seachem stability as directed in their instructions. I used ammonia but think I may have OD' on the ammonia.

I was getting readings of 4ppm + nitrites.25ppm nothing was happening.

Due to the ammonia OD I did a partial water change some advised it some advised not to, and again used Prime & Stability. This seemed to help and I was getting readings of around 2ppm Ammonia & .50ppm Nitrite. My Nitrates were steady around 5/10ppm.

A week or so ago I topped up the ammonia to 3ppm to feed the bacteria and then added some Tetra safe start with the idea of adding good bacteria. Over night my Nitrite crashed to Zero ammonia over the last week has been around 2ppm Nitrate 20/40ppm. Yesterday I did a 25% water change which seemed to do nothing. This morning my readings are ammonia around 1ppm nitrites 0ppm Nitrates 20/40 ppm. My PH,KH,GH are spot on.

Thoughts on if my tank is cycling cycled if so why aren't I getting 0 ammonia readings. I've never had a 0 ammonia reading. or is it stalled??!!
why did I get a Nitrite crash after adding TSS?
I'm afraid to top up my Ammonia incase it's not cycled and it remains high prolonging my agony (lol)

My thoughts are if it's cycled ie no nitrites increase in Nitrates, Why is ammonia still present?

Rightly or wrongly (is that word) I'm close as in tomorrow to adding some fish around 6/8 Mbuna and finishing the cycle with the assistance of Prime, water changes and continued use of stability.
Over to the learned fish community
Thanks in advance

 

[Colin_T]

If the nitrite drops suddenly and you start getting nitrates, then it sounds like the tank has developed all the beneficial bacteria needed to filter the water. The remaining ammonia might be the test kit or left over ammonia that still needs to be broken down.

I would not add any rift lake cichlids to the tank if you have ammonia in the water. They live in hard alkaline water and any ammonia in alkaline water will do damage to the fish.

I would monitor the ammonia levels over the next few days and theoretically it should drop to 0, or close to 0. When it drops to 0 do a big water change to dilute the nitrates and then get your fish.

 

[chadders]

If the nitrite drops suddenly and you start getting nitrates, then it sounds like the tank has developed all the beneficial bacteria needed to filter the water. The remaining ammonia might be the test kit or left over ammonia that still needs to be broken down.

I would not add any rift lake cichlids to the tank if you have ammonia in the water. They live in hard alkaline water and any ammonia in alkaline water will do damage to the fish.

I would monitor the ammonia levels over the next few days and theoretically it should drop to 0, or close to 0. When it drops to 0 do a big water change to dilute the nitrates and then get your fish.

Colin thanks for your reply I'm hoping to use seachem prime to lock away the remaining ammonia dosing every 24 hours my filtration is adequate for probably 20 fish and I'll only be adding maybe 6 or 8 initially. I think the test kit is accurate it's a new api master kit bought when I started the cycle. I'm just concerned I've not had the classic drop to zero ammonia, top up ammonia drop to zero in 24 hours scenario. This seems to be the standard way of confirming the cycle is complete.


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[chadders]

Colin thanks for your reply I'm hoping to use seachem prime to lock away the remaining ammonia dosing every 24 hours my filtration is adequate for probably 20 fish and I'll only be adding maybe 6 or 8 initially. I think the test kit is accurate it's a new api master kit bought when I started the cycle. I'm just concerned I've not had the classic drop to zero ammonia, top up ammonia drop to zero in 24 hours scenario. This seems to be the standard way of confirming the cycle is complete.


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Is there a more controversial subject where comes to the right and wrong way of doing things than keep fish lol!?


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[squidneh]

Have you tested ammonia out of the tap?

 

[chadders]

Have you tested ammonia out of the tap?

Yes it's zero. This morning ammonia was.50 ppm. I've topped up to 3ppm and added some Seachem stability. I'll just wait a bit longer


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[Essjay]

Have you been adding ammonia according to this method http://www.fishforums.net/threads/cycling-your-new-fresh-water-tank-read-this-first.421488/
Adding too much ammonia can stall a cycle by making too much nitrite. And with the API nitrite tester, when the reading is off the top of the scale it can cause the colour to look a bit like zero.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Chadders,

If you want to know if the cycle is complete, you'll need to stop adding stability. A truly cycled tank requires no additives to maintain a double zero reading.

Personally, I am not a fan of that particular product or any such product that requires regular dosing to deal with the ammonia.

I'd advise doing nothing for two days. Test again. If ammonia remains, wait two more days. Test again. If the ammonia hasn't dropped to zero in that time, you were getting conversion previously by means other than the beneficial bacteria you want.

It takes time, but it does not require continued dosage of Prime or Stability. Prime should be added only during a water change to deal with chlorine and chloramine. I'd personally not use Stability at all. Tetra Safe Start may gave helped you. But Stability added may actually work against you.

Ultimately the thing you need to do now is... Nothing. Let nature do its thing a little. Patience...patience... Patience.