28L Fishless Log

[LilyRose Tank]

I have begun cycling a small 28L aquaone 320 tank. It has a small filter that came with it, plus a heater set at 29 degrees.pH is 7.6 did have a betta in it for a week which started cycling off...but took him our and placed him in bigger tank to cycle this one with ammonia
so far the testing has gone as follows

8/11 amm 4
9/11 amm 4 nitrite 1 nitrate 10
10/11 amm 4 nitrite 1 nitrate 10/20
11/11 amm 2 nitrite 5+ nitrate 80!!!!!
full water change and rechanrged ammonia at 2ppm
11/11 amm 2 nitrite 0 nitrate 0
12/11 amm 1 nitrite 5+ nitrate 10

any one know why ammonia doesnt seem to be dropping to 0 when getting good reading of nitrite and nitrate?

 

[LilyRose Tank]

Anyone got any opinions for me please xx

 

[Overload]

Anyone got any opinions for me please xx

I think you are still in phase one, just be patient.

Also I would not worry about water changing with Nitrate of 80, my tap water has 40 in it! Water changes slow the cycle down for a couple of days so give it a bit more time.

 

[Katch]

Yup looks like phase 1 for you still. Keep the ammonia topped up to 5ppm everytime it gets to 0 (or close to it; test kits are not very acurrate).

Your pH and temps are good so just stay with it. In a few more days you'll find that your ammonia is dropping from 5ppm to 0 in 24 hours but your NitrIte will still be off the chart.

Keep an eye on your pH at this next stage as it will start to drop with the production on NitrAtes. If you see it drop you can do a good 50-75% water change. Keep the adding the ammonia every 24 hours and report back when your nitrIte reading starts to back off a little. This can take quite a while.

 

[LilyRose Tank]

Katch...thanks..this is why I did a water change and 12 hours after water change levels were
amm 1 nitrites 5+ nitrAtes 80 again!!
I checked my pH again and between 7.6 and 7.8 ( reading 7.6 on low pH test, and not quite 7.8 on high ...ut the 7.6 test result was bluer than the indicator card

I didnt want my pH falling with my Nitrates going off chart. one reading which i forgot to record prior to water change was 160!
Ammonia hasnt dropped to 0 at all yet, just to .25, but i dosed back to 2ppm...so I should still be doing 4ppm?...thought once nitrates are produced to halve the ammonia dose?