Cycling My Tank - Confused!

[jackwhiteiii]

Hi

So I have a 8 gallon nano going through its cycle ( its been 4 weeks now ) and I am a little worried as I have seen no change in my test results for 3 weeks now.

The first week I did no tests but for the last 3 I have been testing pretty much every day and geting the same results, these are

PH 8.2
Amonia .25 ppm
Nitrite 0 ppm
Nitrate 5 ppm

Is it just a case of waiting somemore for the big spike etc or did that happen in the first week and I missed it? If thats the case how can I get my ammonia to 0?

I did my first water change after 2 weeks at 25%, then 10% every week after.

I have 4kg of live cured rock which has plenty of brown algea sludge on it and there is now some starting to grow on the sandbed, I also have some rock mainly near my light source that is turning a purple colour, what is this? It does not seem to be growing on the rock it just looks like the rock has turned that colour.

As well as the live rock I am using a hanging filter which uses a sponge and carbon for its filteration.

Any help is most appreciated

III

 

[littleme1969]

Hi
If the rock was fully cured it should have done its cycle by now. Sounds more like its was not totally cured in which case it can take upto 6 weeks. You need to get rid of the sponge from your filter. Replace with filter floss that can be changed ever week when you do a water change to stop nitrate build up etc.
I also would be testing every day at that stage. twice a week will be just fine Also what lighting do you have and how many hours it is on a day?
Pictures would be good so people could see what stage the rock is at.

 

[SkiFletch]

At this point the ammonia reading is probably from a faulty test kit... I've yet to meet a tank with LR in it AND flowrate that had ammonia after 4 weeks. And the presence of diatom algae indicates a cycled tank.

 

[Musho3210]

this is a fishless cycle right?

 

[jackwhiteiii]

Yes it is a fishless cycle and yes my ammonia test kit was faulty I have had the water tested at the lfs and all is hunky dory, thanks for your replies guys!