Not Sure What To Do Next?

[wonderer]

Hey all.

I started a new setup a couple of weeks ago and am currently cycling. A week ago today I added some sludge squeezed from my dads established filter into the water and some gravel from the bottom. I have been dosing ammonia and took some measurements today.
Ammonia at 0
Nitrites at 0
Nitrates at about 50

5 ml of ammonia was dosed 48 hours previously. Water is nicely heated and have a lot of bubbles going. It's a 240 litre tank. Does this sound like I'm on the right track? I have not seen a spike in nitrites but from what I have read that may not happen as I used the stuff from an established tank, is that right?

I'm just a bit unsure of how to move forward and how long to keep testing? I will be fully stocking with Cichlids when ready so want to make absolutely sure the tank is ready. Any advice would be most appreciated.

 

[the_lock_man]

It's certainly sounding as though you've dropped into the cycle process at quite an advanced stage, because of the mature media.
 
Because your last dose of ammonia was 48 hours ago, you need to dose another 3ppm ammonia (I'm assuming that the 5ml you are dosing is 3ppm, if you aren't sure, use the site's calculator to work it out), and test again in 24 hours. If you again have double zeroes, you are cycled - keep dosing ammonia daily until the day before you buy fish. If you see ammonia at under 0.25ppm, and nitrite under 1ppm, dose again, and test in another 24 hours. If ammonia is over 0.25ppm or nitrite over 1ppm, then don't dose again, but do test daily.
 
Repeat this daily testing regimen until you get double zeroes again.,

 

[wonderer]

It's certainly sounding as though you've dropped into the cycle process at quite an advanced stage, because of the mature media.
 
Because your last dose of ammonia was 48 hours ago, you need to dose another 3ppm ammonia (I'm assuming that the 5ml you are dosing is 3ppm, if you aren't sure, use the site's calculator to work it out), and test again in 24 hours. If you again have double zeroes, you are cycled - keep dosing ammonia daily until the day before you buy fish. If you see ammonia at under 0.25ppm, and nitrite under 1ppm, dose again, and test in another 24 hours. If ammonia is over 0.25ppm or nitrite over 1ppm, then don't dose again, but do test daily.
 
Repeat this daily testing regimen until you get double zeroes again.,
 
 

 
Cool, thank you. I was just a bit worried as although my ammonia levels drop significantly within 48 hours of dosing I have not yet seen any nitrite  really at all so did not know if this was good or bad.