Cycling Clarification Please

[firsttimefishboy]

I'm currently on a fishless cycle. The ammonia is dropping to 0 (from 4ppm) inside 12 hours and the nitrite is dropping to 0 inside 18 hours. I've only ever put ammonia in every 24 hours. Should I have been putting it in every time my ammonia level said 0 (ie every 12 hours)?
Each time I do a 12 hour check on my nitrite it says 2ppm and this has been like this for days and days now. I'm really looking forward to getting my tank stocked and can't wait to see it say 0 inside the 12 hours!

 

[Kesaph]

What you are doing is the correct method; dose every 24, check every 12. Some people reduce the ammonia dose to 2 or 3ppm whilst in this stage to allow the N-bacs to catch up though this isn't a necessity.

 

[waterdrop]

The description sounds like the fishless cycler is already in the third phase and so would be past the point where the lowered dose is useful. It's back to time for a full 5ppm dose (which of course is a guesstimate.. hopefully the calculator gives you an amount that looks slightly past the 4ppm matching color on the test kit.)

~~waterdrop~~