Nitrite Down Ammonia Stuck

[Dunkal]

Hi, My name is Karl.
Let me share you on my first attempt on fishless cycling.
I have a 70 litre planted tank and set up 5 weeks ago, I added too much ammonia first time around so did another 90% water change a week later(did not add de-chlorinater).
Ammonia and Nitrite both spikes and for the past 6 days my nitrite levels have been 0 ppm.
Ammonia has been stuck on 1.5 ppm for a week now and not going down. I did a 70% water change this morning and that bought down the ammonia level to 0.5 and added 2 ml of ammonia cause i want to see if it will go down to zero with in 24 hrs.Ammonia now 2 ppm.
I find this strange cause all the forums I have read, most of the people say that Ammonia goes down before nitrite.
My question is what do I do next? Add fish now or wait?
This is my first attempt to keep fish so I want to get it right.
Thanks
Karl

 

[Rooster]

Check your tap water... check for ammonia, nitite and nitrate - could well be that the cycle hasnt started at all, dont add any fish until the ammonia vanishes within 12 hours (from 3-ppm)
Are you sure you are using 100% ammonia ?

Good luck... its worth the wait !

 

[Dunkal]

Check your tap water... check for ammonia, nitite and nitrate - could well be that the cycle hasnt started at all, dont add any fish until the ammonia vanishes within 12 hours (from 3-ppm)
Are you sure you are using 100% ammonia ?

Good luck... its worth the wait !
Nitrite and Ammonia were both present, Nitrite was really high for about 20 days.
Ammonia is just slow to come down. So i think that cycling must have started or otherwise nitrite wouldnt have shot up.

 

[ibbledibble]

Hi, My name is Karl.
Let me share you on my first attempt on fishless cycling.
I have a 70 litre planted tank and set up 5 weeks ago, I added too much ammonia first time around so did another 90% water change a week later (did not add de-chlorinater).
Ammonia and Nitrite both spikes and for the past 6 days my nitrite levels have been 0 ppm.
Ammonia has been stuck on 1.5 ppm for a week now and not going down. I did a 70% water change this morning and that bought down the ammonia level to 0.5 and added 2 ml of ammonia cause i want to see if it will go down to zero with in 24 hrs.Ammonia now 2 ppm.
I find this strange cause all the forums I have read, most of the people say that Ammonia goes down before nitrite.
My question is what do I do next? Add fish now or wait?
This is my first attempt to keep fish so I want to get it right.
Thanks
Karl

why didn't you use dechlorinater? and did you use dechlorinater in the more recent 70% water change?