Nitrogen Cycle Complete, Then All Was Lost

[newfishmommy]

Hi,

A while back I set up a 10 gal. tank for my kids doing a fishless cycle. The tank cycled completely just the other day. I went to check everything just to make sure all was still fine, before getting any fish for the kids and all the nitrates disappeared. No ammonia, no nitrites, no nitrates. Can anyone tell me what I did wrong, and how do I get this tank back on track?

I was adding ammonia to the tank daily, the ammonia level went up to 8ppm. I was told it was way to high by someone so I did a 50% water change, which dropped it down to 4ppm.

After that, the nitrites started to appear.....they went up to about 2 ppm. At that time nitrates had appeared at 10ppm. Again, I done another pwc. This dropped it again, ammonia was then 2 ppm and nitrites went to 1ppm, nitrates dropped to 5ppm.

I waited for a week, retested the tank the ammonia had dropped to .25ppm
the nitrites had dropped to 0.50ppm, and the nitrates went back up to 10 ppm.

Another water change, no ammonia, 0.25 nitrites, nitrates 5 ppm.

Next check, everything is 0.

what do I need to do? I think I messed up.

 

[Biulu]

I think you stopped too early dosing ammonia. I suggest you read up on this: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861

Good luck

 

[newfishmommy]

Thank you Biulu,

Do you think that I need to restart the process by adding 4 ppm of ammonia and redo the whole thing over?