My Readings Have Become Odd

[Gav_B_UK]

I've recently posted a few queries regarding my fishless cycle.

For about 2 weeks now it has had a nitrite reading of around 1.6ppm, with ammonia of 0 and a nitrate level of 110ppm+.

Everyday I've been adding a dose of ammonia to keep the ammonia eating bacteria fed and 24 hours later my ammonia is 0 again (as expected). I havent done any water changes, cleaning or anything. Basically, the same plants, bog wood, substrate, filters, etc are the same as what has been there since day 1. Lighting has continued the same also.

However, I've just taken my readings tonight and ammonia has risen to 0.6ppm, nitrite has decreased to 0.8ppm and everything else is the same. Whats going on??? Why has my ammonia readings increased???

I have a lot of brown furry type of algae about and a few of my plants seem to have dieing leaves on them. Could this be anything to do with it??

thanks in advance....

 

[mike_nofx]

Im not 100% sure, but if you have nitrates, i believe the tank should technically be cycled.
Maybe you are adding too much ammonia?

What i would do now, is wait till ammonia is 0ppm or very close to it. Then add ammonia till it reads 5ppm, then see how long it takes till your ammonia drops back to 0ppm.

Thats all you need to do. add till 5ppm, wait till you get a 0ppm, then add to 5ppm. Keep doing this until until you go from 5ppm to 0ppm in about 24hrs.

Im not 100% sure, but if you have nitrates, i believe the tank should technically be cycled.
Maybe you are adding too much ammonia?

What i would do now, is wait till ammonia is 0ppm or very close to it. Then add ammonia till it reads 5ppm, then see how long it takes till your ammonia drops back to 0ppm.

Thats all you need to do. add till 5ppm, wait till you get a 0ppm, then add to 5ppm. Keep doing this until until you go from 5ppm to 0ppm in about 24hrs. At first it will take days to go from 5-0, but get quicker and quicker. You also continue this until your nitrites drop to 0ppm in 24hrs.

Nitrites will take longer to drop back, it will seem like forever, but it will happen, and when it does it seems like it happens over night!

You dont need to add ammonia every day. I would remove any dead plants, and not add any plants till cycling is finished. and dont do water changes during cycling

When cycling is complete, you should be able to add 5ppm of ammonia, then in 24hrs have a 0ppm of ammonia and 0ppm of nitrites. Nitrates should be very high.

 

[RadaR]

Also it's very normal to get the brown algae so don't worry about that.

 

[Gav_B_UK]

Just taking my readings again....

Ammonia has increased again to 2.4ppm
Nitrite has now decreased to 0.1ppm

Whats going on???