Cycle Question, Am I Done Already?

[Mrrippey]

So I've been cycling my Fluval edge 12 gallon for about 10 days. For the last I'd say 2-3 days, I get the ammonia ppm (using MrTim's) up to about 2ppm. When I do that the nitrites are high, well over 5ppm and nitrate was somewhere around 60ppm.

24 hours later, I noticed that my ammonia was zero, nitrites were still high, say 5ppm.

I just ran a test and ammonia was zero, nitrite was .25 and nitrate was near zero. My water ph is 7.6, temp is warm, I'd say around 82 degrees. Water is falling about an inch (fluval is not 100% full).

Is my cycle complete? I did add another dose to get ammonia back to 2ppm. I will test everything in about an hour to see if everything is ok but I'm wondering if cycling complete?

Thanks all

Rippey
Btw, there are two plants in the tank....I think that does affect cycling.

Rippey

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Dr. Tims?  (One and Only - bacteria in a bottle?)
 
 
Its looking good, but I'd do another 2ppm dose and see where it is after 12 and 24 hours.  Post here and we can advise further.

 

[Blondielovesfish]

In order for the cycle to be complete, the bacteria needs to be able to process both ammonia and nitrite with in 12 hours of the ammonia being added. Since you say you've only been cycling for 10 days it is unlikely that the cycle is finished - unless you are using something like Dr. Tim's One And Only.

 

[Mrrippey]

I have DrTim's Aquatics Ammonium chloride for Aquarium. I use this to get to 2 ppm and that gets to zero in 24 hours. The nitrite last night was the first time it was low. When I checked on Saturday it was 5ppm. I was surprised at the nitrate being zero though. It was high before as I said.

I dosed again last night so I will check tonight. If ammonia and nitrite are again zero I will do a water change and maybe add three guppies and keep a close eye on things.

Rippey

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Sounds good.
 
I'm really starting to get excited about Dr. Tim's One and Only and his ammonium chloride.  

 

[the_lock_man]

Sounds good.
 
I'm really starting to get excited about Dr. Tim's One and Only and his ammonium chloride.  

 

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Yup.  Scary, isn't it.

 

[Mrrippey]

I'd have to say however, the one that I used, the dosage is very watered down. I have to add 2-3x as much as is requested to get to 2ppm. I don't know about the One and Only version however.

Rippey

 

[Mamashack]

Dr Tim's One and Only is a bacterial culture that seems to be getting some good press.
I'm concerned about the nitrAtes dropping spontaneously. What water tests are you using as the API one for nitrAte really needs a good mixing to work properly and I fell foul of this when I was cycling my betta tank. Unless you did a massive water change the nitrAtes should be getting higher and higher as there's no bacteria to munch on that and altho the plants would use ammonia directly and some nitrAtes they're not likely to drop it to 0.
10 days is amazingly quick if you didn't use a culture like One & Only. Did you use mature filter media or mature gravel?

 

[TwoTankAmin]

It is possible there was seed material involved somehow. It is not possible without it for a cycle to go that fast.
 
2 plants, unless huge swords, wont eat all that nitrate.
 
Nitrite should not go from 5 or more to almost nothing that fast that soon after starting a cycle.
 
Ammonia bacs can set up in 10 -12 days though.
 
Before adding more ammonia you may want to get a better handle in nitrite. Testing nitrate here is a waste of your time and money.
 
Have you done any water changes?