Started a fishless cycle around a week ago. The tank is 160 gallons, second hand with an external filter. The filter media had not been provided with a source of ammonia for well over 12 hours and possibly more. When I first tested the water (before beginning) there was no ammonia, no nitrite and tap water level Nitrate (about 7-10). I added 32ml of 9.5% ammonia solution from boots, beginning the cycle.
I added a handful of gravel from an established tank, a couple of potted plants containing the wooly substance in the pot, and every few days have rinsed/squeezed one piece of Filter foam from my Fluval 2 plus into the cycling tank.
Day 5 and 6 results have been interesting. Ammonia by day five had begun to fall reasonably quickly and Nitrate shot up to about 85. Nitrites were only about 4, a light pink colour.
Yesterday (day 6), Ammonia had fallen to 0.6, NitrIte remained at about 4 and Nitrate has shot up to around the 100 mark.
I believe the unusual results are as a result of the squeezings and addition of potted plants. Last night I brought ammonia back up to about 4-5, and will test again at 7pm tonight.
Is it unusual to not be seeing a NitrIte spike? I'm assuming I won't see one as clearly it's being converted to Nitrate extremely rapidly.
Can someone guesstimate how much longer I have to go?
To confirm:
Ammonia has begun to fall quite quickly
NitrIte has barely been showing (about 4 usually)
NitrAte has sky rocketed.
I added a handful of gravel from an established tank, a couple of potted plants containing the wooly substance in the pot, and every few days have rinsed/squeezed one piece of Filter foam from my Fluval 2 plus into the cycling tank.
Day 5 and 6 results have been interesting. Ammonia by day five had begun to fall reasonably quickly and Nitrate shot up to about 85. Nitrites were only about 4, a light pink colour.
Yesterday (day 6), Ammonia had fallen to 0.6, NitrIte remained at about 4 and Nitrate has shot up to around the 100 mark.
I believe the unusual results are as a result of the squeezings and addition of potted plants. Last night I brought ammonia back up to about 4-5, and will test again at 7pm tonight.
Is it unusual to not be seeing a NitrIte spike? I'm assuming I won't see one as clearly it's being converted to Nitrate extremely rapidly.
Can someone guesstimate how much longer I have to go?
To confirm:
Ammonia has begun to fall quite quickly
NitrIte has barely been showing (about 4 usually)
NitrAte has sky rocketed.
got a mini cycle and 
a good few little fish.
