fishless cycle mess up?

[mtdewlover]

So I'm fishless cycling a 55 gallon tank. I had some difficulty and need some advice here. I added pure amonia from a hardware store to raise the amonia up to about 5 - 5.5 ppm. To raise it to that level it took 5mL. So I then added 5mL every day. I started last Sunday. My nitrites today are at .5 and amonia is at 6.

I'm guessing first I added too much amonia. And I'm guessing now that nitrite levels are readable I should cut the amonia I'm adding in half. Then I keep adding ammonia untill I add my fishies. But before I add them, I should do a 50% water change. Is all of this right? I'm slightly confused.

Thanks for your help!

 

[smb]

Stop adding ammonia until your ammonia level is 0ppm then add about a teaspoon or two a day. Not enough to raise the ammonia above 0ppm but enough to keep the bacteira alive. You'll see the nitrites spike and then when it drops to 0ppm your tank is cycled.


I'd do a 50-75% wc but just take water out, don't touch the filters or gravel and put in fresh dechlorinated water and you are good to go.