!! Hurry up !!! 
Grr!.. more waiting i s'pose hehe Updated day 13..
I really thought ammonia would have zero'd by now
1) My API kit detects 0.25ppm ammonia in my tap water. Should I expect my ammonia to just get to 0.25ppm, or should it go to 0 now?
It should go to zero.
2) My nitrites are higher than the API kit measures (BRIGHT purple).. is this okay, or should i do a water change to get them within a readable level?
The cycling advice you'll find in the advice section will just say let it run (i.e. let the nitrites build to stupidly high levels). I don't agree and would advise you to do a water change to reduce the nitrites to a measurable level (i.e. less than 5ppm at all times). You may need to do a 90% or more water change to achieve this though.
Updated day 13..
I really thought ammonia would have zero'd by now
1) My API kit detects 0.25ppm ammonia in my tap water. Should I expect my ammonia to just get to 0.25ppm, or should it go to 0 now?
It should go to zero.
2) My nitrites are higher than the API kit measures (BRIGHT purple).. is this okay, or should i do a water change to get them within a readable level?
The cycling advice you'll find in the advice section will just say let it run (i.e. let the nitrites build to stupidly high levels). I don't agree and would advise you to do a water change to reduce the nitrites to a measurable level (i.e. less than 5ppm at all times). You may need to do a 90% or more water change to achieve this though.
for answering my numerous posts 
.. hope you dont mind ! ... )Updated day 13..
I really thought ammonia would have zero'd by now
1) My API kit detects 0.25ppm ammonia in my tap water. Should I expect my ammonia to just get to 0.25ppm, or should it go to 0 now?
It should go to zero.
2) My nitrites are higher than the API kit measures (BRIGHT purple).. is this okay, or should i do a water change to get them within a readable level?
The cycling advice you'll find in the advice section will just say let it run (i.e. let the nitrites build to stupidly high levels). I don't agree and would advise you to do a water change to reduce the nitrites to a measurable level (i.e. less than 5ppm at all times). You may need to do a 90% or more water change to achieve this though.
Thanks again prime ordeal
I think I will do a water change to get the nitrite at a readable level, i have read other fishless cycles that have done this with success
Sorry to be a pain.. what is the reasoning behind getting the nitrites within a measureable level (I'm not questioning your method at all, as it obviously works lol just want to understand it .. I like to know whats going on
Updated day 13..
I really thought ammonia would have zero'd by now
1) My API kit detects 0.25ppm ammonia in my tap water. Should I expect my ammonia to just get to 0.25ppm, or should it go to 0 now?
It should go to zero.
2) My nitrites are higher than the API kit measures (BRIGHT purple).. is this okay, or should i do a water change to get them within a readable level?
The cycling advice you'll find in the advice section will just say let it run (i.e. let the nitrites build to stupidly high levels). I don't agree and would advise you to do a water change to reduce the nitrites to a measurable level (i.e. less than 5ppm at all times). You may need to do a 90% or more water change to achieve this though.
Thanks again prime ordeal
I think I will do a water change to get the nitrite at a readable level, i have read other fishless cycles that have done this with success
Sorry to be a pain.. what is the reasoning behind getting the nitrites within a measureable level (I'm not questioning your method at all, as it obviously works lol just want to understand it .. I like to know whats going on
If you continue to dose ammonia at 4ppm over a week or more (how long has it been so far?) your nitrite will climb to tens and possibly low hundreds of ppm (depending how long you continue dosing). So the nitrite eating bacteria, when they manage to get going, have to clear this huge amount which adds days to the cycle. Those levels of nitrite are also inhibitory to the bacteria. So it's best to keep the nitrite low.
But the water changes are beneficial, apart from reducing the nitrite, because they will boost your pH and replenish macronutrients that the bacteria need to grow. All of these things help the cycle progress faster.
that makes sense .. 
lol! So i'll go and do a big water change ... get the nitrite within a readable level .. then how much should i dose the ammonia back to? you'll see from my first post that i am on day 13 and ammonia is between 0.5 & 1ppmI have only dosed the ammonia to 4ppm once.. still waiting for it to drop to 0 for the first time
I have only dosed the ammonia to 4ppm once.. still waiting for it to drop to 0 for the first time
Again I'm at odds with the general advice you'll find on this forum. 4ppm ammonia is inhibitory to the NOB (the nitrite eaters) and is also high enough to select for the wrong type of bacteria which can lead to a mini-cycle a week or two after you think your tank has cycled. For those reasons I suggest redosing to 1ppm ammonia. It also prevents nitrite from building up too rapidly and thus reducing water changes to keep the nitrite at a readable level.
What is your pH at the moment?
Do i then keep redosing up to 1 when it reaches 0?pH- 8, this has been quite steady throughout. Okay so redose up to 1
pH- 8, this has been quite steady throughout. Okay so redose up to 1
pH 8 is perfect. Yes, just redose to 1ppm every time it falls to zero. Then whenever nitrite goes outside the readable range do at least a 50% water change to bring it back down.
i'm sure ill be back with more questions soon .. I'm bored at looking at an empty tank..Woohoo my first 0 ammonia reading
