My Cycle

[HurleyInferno]

Hey guys I've got a question. So for the past 4 days my ammonia has been at the same level it's at 4 ppm. I'm thinking that that should be going down quicker than it is after 15 days. I am getting some nitrite readings that are higher so it's obviously being processed, i'm thinking i may have added too much ammonia the last time it dropped, should I do a water chage? will a water change slow the cycle? is it like starting over?

 

[Dark Wolf]

There are a few possibilities. It could be that your pH has fallen into the sixes, and this will slow down your ammonia conversion.

Or like you say, it could be that you put too much ammonia in, does your test card only go up to 4ppm? I'd leave it a few more days and wait to see if the ammonia has dropped. I've read in a few places that if you put too much ammonia in, it can kill off some of the benficial bacteria, but i'm not sure if this is correct.

 

[rdd1952]

A water change won't hurt as long as you use dechlorinator. Sometimes high levels can overwhelm the bacteria and slow things down. What is your tank pH and temperature? Those can also have an effect.