Has My Tank Cycled Or Have I Started A Mini Cycle?

[Marisa_allen]

Hi,

could anyone help me figure out if my tank has cycled or whether I have started a mini cycle!

I have started the stats from the relevant date:

ammonia added daily to give a reading of 3.7ppm

Day 11
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 3.3+ (highest my test goes to)

Day 12
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 3.3+ (highest my test goes to)

ammonia added daily to give a reading of 1.2ppm
Day 13
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0.1

Day 14
Ammonia 0.1
Nitrite 0.1

Should both be at 0 to be cycled?
Why would my ammonia levels start to rise?
The only explanation I can think of is that I am not adding enough ammonia and I have started a mini cycle on my tank!

Any feedback would be appreciated.

 

[Bloo]

Mmmm not sure. Take again tomorrow and see if it's increasing. I know we have our own great fishless cycle articles, but I've always found the graph in this article quite useful.

 

[Marisa_allen]

Mmmm not sure. Take again tomorrow and see if it's increasing. I know we have our own great fishless cycle articles, but I've always found the graph in this article quite useful.

I have read the article and whilst my total ammonia is still below the cut off levels, I am still puzzled as to why they have started to increase!?

If I test it tomorrow and it has increased, do you think this means that I have started a mini cycle because i havent added enough ammonia?

 

[Marisa_allen]

Hi,

I have re tested my ammonia again this morning and the ammonia level is at 0.1 whereas yesterday it was between 0 and 0.1 and my nitrite has risen to between 0.1 and 0.5.

So I definitely think that I have started a mini cycle.

Does anyone know how quickly the bacteria in the filter die back if no ammonia is present?

thanks