Started My Fishless Cycle And My Stats Seem Freaky

[Wanda hornsey]

Cycling using the add and wait method from Rdd's threadI set my tank up with everything running last Thursdaymorning, its a 2nd hand tank thats has been stripped down for 3 weeks the filters were rinsed in tapwater and the tank scrubbed as it was filthy!!! and I mean FILTHY!

so we put it all back filled her up and set it all going

The set up
the tank is 130USGallons and has an Ehiem external filter and these internal filters

also running a UV box that came free with the setup.
It has the origional gravel (washed in fresh tap water) and new sand (yes I am trying a mix)
2 large pieces of bogwood from the origional set up (washed in tapwater - never dried out)
2 large pieces of bogwood from LFS (basicly new)
no plants yet
the temp is running at 86 (as reccomended in the cycling thread)
It ran like this from Thursday morning to sunday evening without me adding anything as I wanted to let dust and debris settle before I started testing etc.

The stats
BEFORE adding anything my stats were
temp 86 ........Ammonia 0.5ppm......Nitrites 0.0ppm......Nitrates 15ppm.......PH 7.6

last night I then added ammonia to take it to 4ppm (very nearly 5ppm But the colors a little hard to read)

left it over night and tested when I got in from work tonight

Temp 85......ammonia 1.0ppm....Nitrites 0.0ppm........Nitrates 20ppm.....didnt check PH

whats going on?? is it possible that the tank started to cycle itself in the 4 days it was running before I started to add ammonia for the cycle. I cant think why else the ammonia would have vanished as it has ....could it be from any bacteria in the filters and on bogwood etc
Is there another explanation??? Aliens have taken over the tank for instance

and what should I do next??? I assume I should add more ammonia HELP

 

[piper]

It is possible that your tank started to cycle. As you say you have ammonia in your tap water so it could have started to cycle off that.

The amonia level on my cycle didn't drop till day 4/5 put I did add 8+ ppm off the stuff in. Whoops

Let us know the readings tomorrow..

 

[Wanda hornsey]

should I add more ammonia tho and what should I add ?? enough to put it back to 4-5 ppm??

sorry if I seem a daft cow )

 

[piper]

Yes if I was you I would get it back up to 4/5ppm, I think your find that your second test was inaccurate. And that you only ever put in 1ppm in at the start. How long did you wait between adding the ammonia and testing. It might not have mixed in well enough.

Just thought actually, your tank cant have cycled. If indeed the amonia had been processed it would have turned into Nitrites. But your Nitrites are still at zero, so I doubt any cyling has really taken place yet.

 

[Wanda hornsey]

I will put it back to 5ppm then this evening after supper, I double tested the amount I needed to add before adding it and then waited 2 hours to test the water in the tank last night.
As suggested I will add another load of ammonia tonight and see how it goes.

 

[piper]

Good stuff Wanda,

If you read my last post here it might help you. Although that was just my experience im no expert.

 

[Wanda hornsey]

added my Ammonia and will test it at 10pm (2hours should be well and good to get it right through the tank) I will post my levels then and see what happens by tomorrow

Anyone else got any ideas???

 

[Wanda hornsey]

Ok so added more ammonia AND DOUBLE CHECKED IT WAS READING AT LEAST 5PPM

Lets see what tomrrow brings

Thanks for all your help so far