Cycling Question

[dcj38]

Ok so I am coming towards the end of cycling my tank as I have had the ammonia go up real high, and come back down, then the nitrItes went real high and now have come back to down, and the nitrates are about 20 ppm right now. The thing is I just tested the water and the results are:

0.25 Ammonia
0 NitrIte
20 Nitrate

I dont understand why there is still a trace in ammonia, so can someone please tell me? Also this is my 17th day cycling do you think im almost done?

 

[dcj38]

anyone?

 

[BigIan]

Whats in the tank at the moment???

 

[dcj38]

I dont have anything in the tank

 

[DebraAustin]

I dont have anything in the tank

I found that while doing my fishless cycle every once in awhile I would get a low reading like yours, but then in a few hours it would be back to normal. I didn't have any fish in my tank either, so don't know what caused it. Once my ammonia stayed down for a week I felt it was safe and added my first fish. They are still alive and happy campers three weeks later, so I think there was just a slight variation in the way the bacteria processed the ammonia a few times.

Debra

 

[dcj38]

ok so how long u think?