Goofed On Testing For Cycling

[Atsy]

Started cycling (fish-less); 50 Gal tank:
 
2/27 Ammonia 3 ppm
2/28 Ammonia 1.5 ppm; added Ammonia, brought it up to 4
3/1 Ammonia 4 ppm
3/2 Ammonia 4 ppm
3/3 Ammonia 2 ppm; added Ammonia, brought it up to 4 ppm
3/4 Ammonia 4 ppm
3/5 Ammonia 3 ppm
3/6 Ammonia 1-2 ppm; figured out that I was supposed to be testing the NO2 levels too and was supposed to be letting the Ammonia levels go to zero...(my bad)
3/6 Nitrite 5+ ppm
3/6 Nitrate 20 ppm
 
Did I have a Nitrite spike?  And now I have to wait for that to go down or did I totally mess up by starting an "Add Daily Cycle" and then changing to the "Add and Wait Method"? 
 
Advice appreciated.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

I am assuming you are using an API kit. Firstly, do not dose any ammonia until it gets to zero and then dose 1/4 the amount you did to get the initial 3 ppm. Only dose this when ammonia reads 0 and at least 2-3 days apart. The API nitrite kit doesn't read anywhere near high enough to let one know if nitrite levels may be impeding the cycle. It can't tell you when you have peaked, as it will be way over 5 ppm. And it can't till you if its coming down until it goes back under the max 5 ppm reading either.
 
You have dosed too much ammonia, imo, and I would suggest you do a 50& water change to get nitrites down and then test them again and post the result.

 

[Atsy]

I am assuming you are using an API kit. Firstly, do not dose any ammonia until it gets to zero and then dose 1/4 the amount you did to get the initial 3 ppm. Only dose this when ammonia reads 0 and at least 2-3 days apart. The API nitrite kit doesn't read anywhere near high enough to let one know if nitrite levels may be impeding the cycle. It can't tell you when you have peaked, as it will be way over 5 ppm. And it can't till you if its coming down until it goes back under the max 5 ppm reading either.
 
You have dosed too much ammonia, imo, and I would suggest you do a 50& water change to get nitrites down and then test them again and post the result.

 
Yes API Master kit.
Do a WC even though the ammonia is dropping down to 1-2 ppm?  This is to drop the nitrite levels to give the bacteria a chance to catch up I'm assuming?  Thx.

 

[Atsy]

Did a 50-60% WC.  New test results:
 
Ammonia 0.25 ppm
Nitrite 5 ppm - not near as dark as it was before

 

[CezzaXV]

All sounds good. If I recall, 1ppm of ammonia will produce 2.7ppm of nitrite, and obviously the API test will only go up to 5ppm, so I would just dose 1ppm a day so you can see what is going on in your tank and give the N-bacs chance to catch up. Then when they can easily clear the nitrite down to zero, up your dose of ammonia again.

 

[Atsy]

All sounds good. If I recall, 1ppm of ammonia will produce 2.7ppm of nitrite, and obviously the API test will only go up to 5ppm, so I would just dose 1ppm a day so you can see what is going on in your tank and give the N-bacs chance to catch up. Then when they can easily clear the nitrite down to zero, up your dose of ammonia again.

 
 
Great!  Thanks.  Thought I was super smart reading/ researching the "right" way to cycle, ended up reading too many versions and got the instructions mixed up.  Glad that I am headed in the right direction again!  Will check again this evening.

 

[Atsy]

Ok so I tested everything:
3/7
Ammonia 0 ppm
Nitrite 5 ppm (I think, very purple)
Nitrate 40 ppm
 
Should I still add a little Ammonia or just leave it until the Nitrites start to drop?  I'm so confused!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

You are doing fine.  Keep dosing the ammonia at a low level, like 1ppm until the nitrite falls.
 
 
You can get a decent estimate on the level of your nitrite with the API kit, even at higher levels than the test can read.   The easiest way is to dilute the tank water.  Using a medicine syringe, fill the tube with 1mL of tank water, and 4mL of tap water (I assume you have no nitrite in your tap) and then test as usual.  Multiply your result by 5 to get a decent estimate for where your nitrite actually is.  Its not perfect, but its enough to give you a ball park figure.
 
 
Keep an eye on your pH as well.  Watch for a drop, as this will stall the cycle, and will require a water change to kick start things again.

 

[Atsy]

You are doing fine.  Keep dosing the ammonia at a low level, like 1ppm until the nitrite falls.
 
 
You can get a decent estimate on the level of your nitrite with the API kit, even at higher levels than the test can read.   The easiest way is to dilute the tank water.  Using a medicine syringe, fill the tube with 1mL of tank water, and 4mL of tap water (I assume you have no nitrite in your tap) and then test as usual.  Multiply your result by 5 to get a decent estimate for where your nitrite actually is.  Its not perfect, but its enough to give you a ball park figure.
 
 
Keep an eye on your pH as well.  Watch for a drop, as this will stall the cycle, and will require a water change to kick start things again.

Great idea!  Did as you said, tested:
Nitrite 5 ppm and when I diluted and used tap (which doesn't have any nitrites) it was also 5 ppm
Ammonia 0 ppm
PH 7.6
 
Added a little Ammonia to bring it up to 1 ppm

 

[Atsy]

3/9 Testing 
Ammonia 0 ppm; raised it up to 1
Nitrite 2-3 ppm diluted x 5 = 10-15 ppm
Ph 7.6
 
3/10
Ammonia 0 ppm; raised it up to 1
Nitrite 2-3 ppm diluted = 10-15 ppm
Nitrate 80 ppm (last time I checked Nitrate it was on 3/8 at 20 ppm) - so this is good right?  It means that the Nitrite is being processed?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Yes, an increase in nitrate is a good thing.  Keep an eye on your pH.  If it drops, you'll need to do a water change to keep the cycle moving forward.

 

[Atsy]

Ok so now my Nitrate is at 5 ppm.  Does that happen???  It goes from 80 to 5 ppm in 4 days?
My Nitrite is still off the chart
Ammonia is being processed 1 ppm in a day
Ph still holding at 7.6.
 
What has happened?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Probably a foul up in the test.  Some times you get a nitrAte reading when you have nitrItes present, because many of the test kits actually make the nitrate into nitrite to read it in the test kit.  So, the nitrate reading from earlier could have been a false reading, and now that the nitrites are coming down (presumably) you are now getting a different reading on the nitrate.
 
 
Or.... You didn't shake the 2nd bottle sufficiently and you are getting a false LOW reading now.  I'd repeat the nitrate test and really shake up the bottle a ton - at least two full minutes of vigorous shaking.