Cycling: it all seems wrong?

[Rose]

You need to get some fish TODAY! If you don't puting some seeded gravel in the filter isn't going to do any good. The bacteria that's in the gravel needs something to feed off of, I.E. fish waste. Other wise it's just going to die and you'll be back to where you were before you got the gravel. Your plants need the fish waste as well to use as a food source. Go get a few fish today. Get some hardy fish like swordtails, Zebra Danios.

Rose

 

[bogusmove]

You need to get some fish TODAY!

Oops, I thought waiting a day before getting the fish was the right thing to do. I was expecting my nitrite levels to drop/disappear after adding the gravel actually but they are STILL 0.3mg/L. I have been dropping fish flakes in though (although not for a few days), and there is that tiny snail still... presumably snail waste will also break down to ammonia?

Anyway! Too late today, i'll get fish tomorrow... and if I get an ammonia presence I guess i'll go and beg for more gravel.