Is my Cycle nearing completion?

[Luke Leith]

Fishless Cycle, 110L Tank, TAP Safe added, Fluval Cycle added, Sand Substrate. 30C degrees. Fluval U4 Filter.

14/05 - Cycle begun

I added 2ppm Ammonia to the tank on that day and my readings Today on the 32nd Day are:

Ammonia - 0.25
Nitrite - 5
Nitrates 5-10

My Nitrites hit:
0.25 within Day 10-13
0.5 within Day 17-20
1 within Day 20-23
2 within Day 23-26
5 within at Day 31

I have tested my Tap Water and I believe it may have 0.25 Ammonia, i’m
lead to further believe this as the Ammonia is staying at 0.25, but shouldn’t the 0.25 Ammonia be processed or processing by now?

Just out of curiosity how long do you think is left till the Cycle is complete?

 

[Silencedogood]

Welcome to the forum
How long have you been cycling your tank?

 

[Silencedogood]

Your nitrites are too high; you want them around 0-1 ppm. The ammonia is okay; my ammonia is always 0.25 and my current tank has been running for 8 months. It is better to have 0 ppm for ammonia, though.

 

[Colin_T]

Some test kits show 0 ammonia as 0 - 0.25. You can check your test kit by testing distilled water. It should have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate, 0 GH, 0 KH and a pH of 7.0.

5ppm of nitrite is normal and nothing to worry about when cycling a filter.

It normally takes about 4-6 weeks for the tank to cycle.
You can reduce the temperature to 28C and make sure there is plenty of aeration/ surface turbulence to maximise the oxygen levels in the water.

Don't bother testing for nitrates until the tank has cycled. Nitrate test kits will read nitrite as nitrate and give you a false reading.

 

[Luke Leith]

Welcome to the forum
How long have you been cycling your tank?

Is that sarcasm because the post states the cycle begun 14/05 and there are numerous dates within it did you even read my post at all ahah

 

[Luke Leith]

Some test kits show 0 ammonia as 0 - 0.25. You can check your test kit by testing distilled water. It should have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate, 0 GH, 0 KH and a pH of 7.0.

5ppm of nitrite is normal and nothing to worry about when cycling a filter.

It normally takes about 4-6 weeks for the tank to cycle.
You can reduce the temperature to 28C and make sure there is plenty of aeration/ surface turbulence to maximise the oxygen levels in the water.

Don't bother testing for nitrates until the tank has cycled. Nitrate test kits will read nitrite as nitrate and give you a false reading.

Cheers, I have the filter mode of aeration so there’s are lots of bubbles, also I’m using API master test kit. I worry that I may be starving the ammonia feeding bacteria if the ammonia is actually 0 and not 0.25 because of a false reading

 

[Luke Leith]

Cheers, I have the filter mode of aeration so there’s are lots of bubbles, also I’m using API master test kit. I worry that I may be starving the ammonia feeding bacteria if the ammonia is actually 0 and not 0.25 because of a false reading

But I also don’t want to keep feeding ammonia In to the tank as the nitrites will just raise and raise and the cycle will slow down

 

[Metalhead88]

I have the api liquid test kit and my zero reading has a slight green tint to it.

Set 2 vials next to each other. One with your tank results and the other with distilled water results. Use the distilled as your standard for zero. They should be exactly the same color.

I believe adding a little more ammonia won't hurt, remember you'll have a constant supply of ammonia when fish are added anyway.

You are close.

 

[Silencedogood]

Is that sarcasm because the post states the cycle begun 14/05 and there are numerous dates within it did you even read my post at all ahah

Oops, sorry I read too fast sometimes lol

 

[Silencedogood]

5ppm of nitrite is normal and nothing to worry about when cycling a filter

You wouldn't want to add fish with nitrites at 5 ppm, though, right?

 

[Luke Leith]

It’s a non fish cycle, the water from the tap is 0.25, the same reading as the tank water. So my main question that I can’t seem to find anywhere is how long will it take my Filter to eliminate the 0.25 Ammonia water that is already in the tank and has been since the start of the cycle? If my Nitrites are 5+ then shouldn’t the 0.25 be getting converted along with the rest of the ammonia that was added?

 

[Silencedogood]

It’s a non fish cycle, the water from the tap is 0.25, the same reading as the tank water. So my main question that I can’t seem to find anywhere is how long will it take my Filter to eliminate the 0.25 Ammonia water that is already in the tank and has been since the start of the cycle? If my Nitrites are 5+ then shouldn’t the 0.25 be getting converted along with the rest of the ammonia that was added?

It could be a false reading depending on the test kit; I use the API master test kit too and it has always given me a reading of 0.25 even when other tests have said 0 ppm.

 

[Luke Leith]

It could be a false reading depending on the test kit; I use the API master test kit too and it has always given me a reading of 0.25 even when other tests have said 0 ppm.

Just testing the parameters and it’s come in at:

Ammonia: 0-0.25
Nitrite: 2-5 (can’t tell as same colour)
Nitrates: 30 (in between orange and red)

So finally the bacteria has begun cycling more Nitrite into Nitrates and also my Ammonia eating bacteria is getting rid of that slight Ammonia in the water! Can’t wait till it’s finished.

Any advice for the final stages and for once the cycle is completed?
Do i add 1ppm Ammonia one the result is 0/0/0-20 and see if the ammonia is cycled within 24hrs is that right?

 

[Luke Leith]

22/06/19
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrates - 30

So at 8pm on the 22/06/19 I added 1ppm ammonia to see if it would cycle within 24hrs... 24hrs later and it is at: 0/2/30

I tested 12hrs into it and the ammonia had cycled, but at the 24hr stage surely the nitrite should have cycled too?

Is it a case of waiting of waiting till it’s fully cycled again then add another dose of 1ppm ammonia, and see if it cycled in 24hrs, then if not again, repeat the process until it does ???

I’m so close I just need last minute help.