Cycling With Fish Food: Phase 2?

[mwood2]

well I have been cycling my 5 gallon with fish food for the past few days now. I have been adding a good sum of food each day and I am now at the point where Nitrite is off the chart and still have a trace of ammonia now. So how should I proceed from here?

Im thinking that from now on I should just wait to let it go back to 0 and from there add more again. Also by then I should have some ammonia so I can test and see if the tank can handle 5ppm of ammonia. Does this sound like the right path?

Im also going to add another 5ml of stress zyme on the 7th day (as its says on the instructions) as well as keep up on adding my Leaf Zone every Tuesday. I have some filter foam laying on top of my cycled tanks filter and will move that over later on next week making it a full week it has been sitting there to help out my cycle (even if its a little i guess it should help).

After the cycle processes the ammonia should it be ready for a Dwarf Puffer right? Also does anyone think any other fish can go with a dwarf puffer in a 5 gallon? I know filter can take it but would it be a good idea since dwarf puffers are teritorial and need fish that are armored or other dwarf puffers (which even then they may not get along from what i know).

 

[minxfishy]

If you only have a trace of ammonia left, you need to add more fish food, as you have been doing, as without a source of ammonia the Abacs will start to die back, which you dont want.

Its good to hear that the nitrites are off the chart, always a good sign, it will probably take a while for them to come down, test for nitrAte and as you see that rising you can see that the Nbacs are starting to multiply.

You cannot add any fish until both ammonia and nitrIte are at 0 within 12 hours of adding the ammonia source, as nitrIte is just as bad as ammonia for harming fish.

In the 5g you could only add one DP, no other fish and I wouldnt add another Dp as they require about 5g each.