16 days of fishless cyclying, are my results going in right direction? more adatives?

[Box of Demons]

I am using co2 for 5 hours Main lights for 7 hours.
Tanks is a Roma 240. I have put some ammonia in and some biological starter from Fluval.

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Day 4
PH = 6 AMMONIA = 8 NITRITE = 1 NITRATE = 0
- -
Day 6
PH = 6 AMMONIA = 8 NITRITE = 1 NITRATE = 0
- -
Day 9
PH = 6.6 AMMONIA = 8 NITRITE = 0.25 NITRATE = 5
- -
Day 10 - 50% WATER CHANGE
PH = 6.6 AMMONIA = 4 NITRITE = 0 NITRATE = 0
- -
Day 12
PH = 6 AMMONIA = 8 NITRITE = 0 NITRATE = 0
- -
Day 16
PH = 6 AMMONIA = 2 NITRITE = 0 NITRATE = 0
- -
Does this look like the tank is heading in the right direction? Should i be adding any more addatives, ammonia or chemicals?
Here is what my tank looks like so far: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLGwPUICmjRSq21elnmOBXNsLHeTRa7hlV
Any help or advice appreciated keen to get some shrimps in before the end of coronavirus lock down.

 

[PheonixKingZ]

Your Ammonia should be at 0ppm. (Parts Per Million)

Your Nitrate should be at 10ppm or lower. (I personally like to keep mine at 6ppm) The only reason why you should have you Nitrate above 10ppm, is if you are breeding fish.

What is your ph?

 

[Essjay]

You need to be adding less ammonia. 3 ppm is more ammonia than a sensibly stocked tank of fish will make in 24 hours so unless you drastically overstock the tank, you will have more than enough bacteria using 3 ppm.


Wait until ammonia is under 0.25 ppm AND nitrite is under 1 ppm, add a 3 ppm dose of ammonia (no more than 3 ppm) then test next day. If both are zero at that time, the cycle has finished. If either is not zero, test every day until you get ammonia under 0.25 AND nitrite under 1 ppm, then add another 3 ppm ammonia and test next day. If both are zero, the tank is cycled; if they are not zero.... repeat this paragraph until they are both zero 24 hours after adding 3 ppm ammonia.

If you can't buy fish because all the shops are in lock down, once the tank is cycled, add 1 ppm ammonia every few days to feed the bacteria until you can buy fish.

 

[Box of Demons]

How do I add 3 ppm how do i work out how much i need to add?

 

[Essjay]

Look at the calculator on here https://www.fishforums.net/aquarium-calculator.htm The last item is an ammonia calculator.

Does the bottle of ammonia give a %? If it does, enter that % in the calculator together with your tank volume. It will tell you how many ml to add. If it doesn't say the %, just enter your tank volume and add half the amount it gives just in case it's more than 9.5% (the usual %). Test after half an hour and go by the reading. If it's around 1 ppm, you need to add the same again to get 3 ppm; but if the reading is between 2 and 4 ppm, the amount you added is 3 ppm.

 

[Box of Demons]

But isnt my ammonia already high? i bought Dr tims Ammonia Chloride but it does not say percentage. 1 capful is 6ml

 

[Essjay]

Dr Tim's ammonium chloride can't be used with that calculator, as it is for ammonia solution in water only - ie ammonium hydroxide not ammonium chloride.


As your ammonia reading is dropping, wait until you hit those targets - ammonia below 0.25 AND nitrite below 1.0 ppm

When you added the first dose of Dr Tim's ammonium chloride, how much did you add and what was the ammonia reading once you'd added it? You can use those figures to work out how much Dr Tim's NH4Cl will give 3 ppm. Once you hit those targets, add the 3 ppm amount of ammonium chloride and test next day.

 

[Box of Demons]

So..

For now I just leave the tank to do its thing with no water change, keep the 6 hours light and 5 hours c02.
When Ammonia levels are below 0.25 and nitrite below 1.0 (i have non currently) THEN..
I add dr tims until i reach 3 ppm and test next day..

Is that correct?

If if ammonia is 0 day after am i cycled?