Cycling - How Far Off?

[JamesP]

Hi Guys,

My tank has been cycling for 26 days and I have been taking the ammonia reading daily and making sure that once it hits 1.0 I top it back up to 4/5. The ammonia is now going from 4/5 to 1.0 in about 24 hours. I took the nirite reading 3 days ago and it was 2.....it is now 0.1. How far is off is my tank from being fully cycled?

Thanks in advance

 

[WILDER]

About a day or two by looks of the nitrite reading, what the nitrate reading.

 

[BigIan]

while were on the subject my tank is also dropping from 5ppm to 0 in 24 hours (or less) and my nitrite is stopping at 0

am i cycled yet?

 

[WILDER]

Yes if ammonia is 0 as well, and you have a nitrate reading.

 

[BigIan]

yep the nitrate is sky high,
the amonia is currently some where about 5 ppm ( i added more amonia this afternoon)

Unfortunately my tank is going to have to wait a week or two before fishys arrive as i`m working every day for the next 2-3 weeks so won`t be able to get to the fish shops

7 weeks since i bought the tank and it could be 10 before i put any fish in there god damn it


will the tank be ok if i just keep adding amonia?

 

[JamesP]

OK,

my stats are now:

Ammonia 0.5 (will top it up back to 4)
Nitrite 0.5
Nitrate 5

Not sure what this means???

 

[mark.w.jones]

yep the nitrate is sky high,
the amonia is currently some where about 5 ppm ( i added more amonia this afternoon)

Unfortunately my tank is going to have to wait a week or two before fishys arrive as i`m working every day for the next 2-3 weeks so won`t be able to get to the fish shops

7 weeks since i bought the tank and it could be 10 before i put any fish in there god damn it


will the tank be ok if i just keep adding amonia?

It'll be fine. As you say, just keep regularly adding you ammonia to top back up to 5 / 6 ppm every day. How frustrating after waiting so long to be fully cycled that you have to wait another 10 days

Good things come to those who wait my nan says. The only good thing is that you can fully stock from day one with fishless cycling if you're feeling brave. Good luck