I feel like an idiot

[SnowLady]

I've gotten some GREAT advice here. But I just don't think I'm getting this Fishless Cycle.

10/8 10/11 10/13
Amonia: pH 7.2 7.6
Nitrite: NH 0.25 8 8
Nitrate: NO2 0 0 0
Gen. Hardness: dH 7

Basically I've added ammonia from 10/9 through 10/11. I haven't added any more.

10/12 added more plants because I thought it would be a good thing.
10/13 exchanged 25% of water and retested but still got 8.0 NH3

So...

Suggestions? Am I a complete stupid idiot for not being able to do this?

 

[SnowLady]

OK - my table didn't come out right

10/8 pH 7.2 NH3 .25 NO2 0.0
10/11 NH3 8.0 N02 0.0
11/13 NH3 8.0 NO2 0.0

 

[platypus]

Hi Snowlady!

So am I right in thinking you added ammonia for the first time about a week ago? If so don't worry! These things take time, if you go for fishless cycling it can take months for your parameters to get settled. According to this article on fishless cycling you should be adding ammonia every single day until you get a nitrite spike - it doesn't specify how long this should take so I say just keep at it until that happens!

 

[Lithril]

Nope not an idiot at all, you'll probably find the ammonia disappears completely one day and the nitrites pick up, as platypus says though you want to be adding small amounts of ammonia daily.

 

[SnowLady]

Thank you! I was so worried that my Nitrite levels were already too high. I mean they are off my chart of my testing strip as it is now. And quickly get dark green in less than two minutes.

So... that's completely normal?

 

[Alien Anna]

Thank you! I was so worried that my Nitrite levels were already too high. I mean they are off my chart of my testing strip as it is now. And quickly get dark green in less than two minutes.

So... that's completely normal?

The aim is to grow the equivalent bacteria for a full load of fish in a couple of weeks, so yes, you will get huge nitrite spikes if you do it right.