I Think My Fishless Cycle Is Nearly There?!?!?!?!?&#33

[Deleted member 107737]

Hi All,
 
Please could you give me your opinion on my fishless cycle.
 
Its been going for just over 2 weeks now.
 
I did the fishflake cycle.
 
My bad because the guy at one shop said use it and then another shop said ammonia.
 
Todays results:
 
Ammonia 3-4ppm ( it has been at this number for 1 week now)
 
Nitrite 0.1ppm ( last weekend this was off the scale (SPIKE) - a really deep purple / pink but has come down to 0.1ppm)
 
Nitrate 5ppm ( this hasnt shifted so leaves me a bit clueless - expected it to shoot up)
 
Am I on the right track and please could you advise what i should expect to happen next??
 
*** Just some additional information - I havent added any fish flakes for a week now. So i assume the ammonia consistency is because of the rotting flakes?? I have bought a bottle of ammonia so i can top it up when it finally does drop....

 

[Deleted member 107737]

Sorry 1 other thing. I know ammonia and nitrite should be 0ppm. if my nitrite goes to 0ppm does that mean the nitrite eating bacteria will die??

 

[Gvilleguy]

Looks like it is definitely in process on the cycle.  If you were adding ammonia to the tank, the way to know you are cycled is:
 
1. "Feed" ammonia into the tank every 24 hours up to a level of 2 - 3 ppm
2. Taking ammonia/nitrite readings every 12 hours - and they should both be zero
 
In your case - it sounds like your nitrites did spike and are now going down to zero, with a small rise in nitrate levels.  But I would have expected your ammonia to be zero at some point prior to the nitrites spiking and going down.  Unless there is so much flake food decomposing that the levels are just really high.
 
If it was me I would do a large water change in the tank with dechlorinated water, around 90%, and then test levels.  Then add liquid ammonia up the 2 - 3 ppm level and see how long it takes to go to zero.
 
If you can't do that then hang in there without adding any more flakes until ammonia goes down on its own.  As long as you are reading ammonia then the nitrite bacteria are getting fed just fine.

 

[Deleted member 107737]

thank you.. your a star