0 Ammonia .5 PPM Nitrite

[metropolis93fan]

I'm cycling a 10 gallon tank. I've been staying mostly with my parents for a couple of reasons but keep coming back to my apartment as frequently as possible to check on my betta in my cycled tank and the water parameters in the cycling tank. It chose a VERY bad time to start finally really cycle. Saturday the ammonia was .25 and nitrite also .25. Only the second nitrite rise in a month, and the last one was two weeks ago. I was in a rush to get back to my parents so dosed the tank but didn't have time to test it to make sure it was 1 PPM before I left. When I came back today (Monday, two days later) there was ZERO ammonia and nitrite went up to .5 ppm for nitrite. Did I screw up the tank with it not having ammonia? Please let me know.
I just tested ammonia. At 1 ppm as I want the tank to withstand. Will check in morning before I leave again. Then not back until Thursday and again until AT LEAST Sunday if not Monday morning. (Partly apartment issues, Partly I'm helping my parents prepare and hold a moving sale Fri-Sun. Neither is healthy so even though I'm not either we're holding our own together. )

 

[Obsessed with fish]

The tank won't be cycled 'enough', you should have 5ppm of ammonia at the start of the cycle, was the fish in the tank while you cycled?

 

[Obsessed with fish]

How to do a fishless cycle.

click on that url and follow everything in it to cycle your tank properly.

 

[Essjay]

you should have 5ppm of ammonia at the start of the cycle

5 ppm is too much. The method on here says np more than 3 ppm ammonia. Too much ammonia makes so much nitrite the cycle stalls.

 

[Obsessed with fish]

5 ppm is too much. The method on here says np more than 3 ppm ammonia. Too much ammonia makes so much nitrite the cycle stalls.

I probably should have double checked! I will next time.

 

[Essjay]

Yes, always check your facts before posting