Hi Shnookina,
Here's how I cycled my 80 gallon brackish tank:
I used a dropper, a plastic cup, pure ammonia, ammonia test kit, nitrIte test and a nitrAte test. I started by taking a piece of filter material from an established tank and put it into my 80 gallon.
I then added enough ammonia to reach 5ppm. This took quite a bit of ammonia, more than I'd expected. It took about 100 drops, so I took a plastic cup and marked a "fill" line to save my thumbs
I learned that ammonia has different concentrations of ammonium hydroxide so the amount you'll need to add depends on the type you buy. I used Springfield Pure Ammonia. I once read that the formula is 10 drops of ammonia per gallon, but try adding small amounts of ammonia and testing until you reach 5ppm.
Test the ammonia everyday making sure that it stays between 3-5ppm, adding ammonia to keep it from dropping below 3ppm. On day 5 start testing for nitrItes. The nitrItes are the result of the bacteria that eats the ammonia. You should see a spike in nitrItes and when this happens, reduce the amount of ammonia you add to half.
Keep testing the ammonia and nitrItes and now begin testing for nitrAtes. As the nitrIte level drops, the nitrAte level will rise. Once you have a nitrAte spike and your ammonia and nitrite levels are 0, you are almost done cycling! Do a large water change, about 50%, and then add your fishies!
Some things I found helpful: Only buy ammonia that says pure or clear. Do not use ammonia with detergents or perfumes. You can shake the bottle and if it foams a lot, don't use it. Increase the temperature to 85 while cycling. It helps the bacteria do their stuff faster. Don't get frustrated. It took my tank almost 50 days to cycle because I was adding too much ammonia in the beginning.
PM me if you have questions.
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