Need Help Cycling My 45L Biorb

[vpepin]

Hey there !

Long story short, I got a Biorb 45l (aroung 12 gallon) for christmas. It was my first ever tank so, of course, I did everything wrong.
BiOrb are great looking tank but they should definitively not advertise their tank the way they do.
 
So I started my fish-in cycle a while ago and I wanna make sure I interpret the results right.
I got myself an Nutrafin masterkit test.
 
My first reading were very bad, it showed a very high level an ammonia. I did a few waterchanges and now it has been around 0,6 for over a week.
The nitrite reading was around 0.1 and the nitrate around 5.

I've got pretty much the same reading for over 2 weeks so I have no clue if that is a good sign or a bad sign.
I am a bit worried that the ammonia doesn't seem to want to go down any further...

Some suggested I do some more waterchanges to keep the ammonia level low, but I am worry the cycle will never complete
if I keep on doing waterchanges every other day.
 
The tank iss currently stocked with one molly and 3 guppies, they all seem to do great so far, at least.
 
I'll be waiting for your advices !

 

[dazzadub]

That little bit of ammonia could be UN eaten food sitting in the gravel, get a vac or hand in there to agitate the bottom and see what come out, rotting food can read ammonia higher.

Your in same boat as me fish in cycle and your readings will be all over the place for a number of weeks, it requires eater changes to reduce the levels which will stop the fish dieing and will also bring levels down enough to establish the bactieria.


I would also look at a product called seachem prime.

Used this product and works wonders