Month Into Cycle

[emo]

Hi there, i'm not so much of a beginner but i've not done a cycle for well over 3 years so i'm not exactly in practice!

I started cycling my rio 180 exactly a month ago using the add and wait method. (5ppm 9.5% ammonia, wait till it drops, add the same again e.t.c....) I have my heater turned up to 28oC, this is the highest I can get away with as I have it fully stocked with plants. I wasn't able to use mature filter media to clone, but I was able to wash all of my media in some freshly media-squeezed tank water.

About a week or two ago, my nitrites started to drop, slowly but surely they dropped and dropped. For the last three days, i've not had even a trace of nitrite, after 12 or 24 hours. The problem is my ammonia is still at around 0.25, even after 24 hours (from 3-4ppm). Tap water is 0ppm ammonia.

Any ideas? Am I actually cycled and I need a water change or...?


Thanks for the help!
Steve

 

[waterdrop]

pretty unusual.. and its the same liquid test that shows 0.25ppm still in the tank water after 24 hours that show 0ppm in the tap water?

 

[emo]

That's right, it's the API master kit.

 

[Miss Wiggle]

how are the plants faring, a lot of plant debris (dead leaves etc) can give off extra ammonia, if you've a lot of debris this could be causing it.

try a large water change along with a thorough tank clean, gravel vaccing etc and see how it does over the next few days.