Confused on what to do now 🤷‍♀️

[Potter4]

I have been cycling my tank since June 29th. For the last three weeks everything was staying the same. About 2ppm ammonia and 0 nitrites. I tested day before yesterday and ammonia was down and there was some nitrites. I tested today and this is what it shows. Also there are some brown spots on my sand and on some of the decorations now also? What should I do at this point, and does this mean hopefully my tank is almost cycled? I feel like it’s taking forreeevver

 

[Colin_T]

If the yellow phial is an ammonia test, and the pink phial is a nitrite test, then that suggests the cycling process is about half way through. You have some beneficial filter bacteria that is eating the ammonia and converting it into nitrite.

In a couple more weeks there should be more bacteria that eat the nitrite and convert it into nitrate. When that happens, the filter will be cycled and you can add some fish.

 

[Potter4]

Thank you. Yes, sorry, the yellow is the ammonia and the other one is nitrites. So I assume I should add some more ammonia in? Would I do a full dose or just 1/3?

 

[Essjay]

If you've only added one dose of ammonia so far, add another dose to get 3 ppm then start testing every second day. The next targets are a bit complicated to explain. You are waiting until you get zero ammonia one day, then two days later another zero ammonia. The nitrite reading doesn't matter, it's the two zero ammonias two days apart that you need. Then add enough ammonia for 1 ppm.

 

[itiwhetu]

Add a whole lot of plant about 30-50% of the volume. Wait 10 days until the plants start growing, add fish a few at a time. Really cycling tanks is easy.

 

[Potter4]

If you've only added one dose of ammonia so far, add another dose to get 3 ppm then start testing every second day. The next targets are a bit complicated to explain. You are waiting until you get zero ammonia one day, then two days later another zero ammonia. The nitrite reading doesn't matter, it's the two zero ammonias two days apart that you need. Then add enough ammonia for 1 ppm.

I’ve done 2 doses so far. Was waiting to do the “snack”, but it never changed. I started with 3ppm and it went down to about .25 so I added the second dose and it went back to 3ppm, then has hovered around 2ppm until now. So would I now wait, and check today and make sure ammonia is still 0ppm, and then add enough for the 1ppm?

 

[Potter4]

Also, I went to my LFS, and got two plants that they had in their already established tank. Will that help to cycle it?

 

[Essjay]

Plants will help. Plants take up ammonia as fertiliser and they turn it into protein rather than nitrite. Two plants may not take up much though, especially if they are slow growing. Floating plants would help a lot though

 

[Slaphppy7]

What temp is the tank?

Beneficial bacteria grow faster in warmer water, so crank the temp up to 82F or so...warmer water holds less O2, however, so get a bubbler going, if you don't have one already...it will help with surface agitation/gas exchange

 

[Potter4]

Plants will help. Plants take up ammonia as fertiliser and they turn it into protein rather than nitrite. Two plants may not take up much though, especially if they are slow growing. Floating plants would help a lot though

Thank you I’ll probably go back a get a few more

 

[Potter4]

What temp is the tank?

Beneficial bacteria grow faster in warmer water, so crank the temp up to 82F or so...warmer water holds less O2, however, so get a bubbler going, if you don't have one already...it will help with surface agitation/gas exchange

We have it on 85 right now, and we have two bubblers going. It’s been 5 weeks since we started cycling so hopefully the finish line is near lol