New Tank Cycling How Much Longer?

[FishNewbie]

Hello everyone has given such great information in the past, I have another question. I am currently cycling my second tank. I am fishless cycling this time as I learned a lession the last time when I cycled with fish and did not want to make the fish suffer this time. Ok so here is my question I seeded my second tank with some filter media from my first tank. I have been using clear ammonia. I believe I must have a very good population of Ammonia eating bacteria established since I dosed the tank this morning around 11:00 with enough to bring my reading upto 4.0ppm, i just tested the water and I am already down to .25ppm it has been this way for a few days now. The ammonia gets eaten up very fast however my Nitrites are very high around 5.0ppm i do get a small Nitrate reading of about 5.0. Any idea how much longer before I am cycled. Are my Nirites too High? should I do a water change? Should I lower the amount of amm. I dose the tank daily with? Any sugestions would be great. Thanks

 

[WILDER]

Whats your tap nitrate reading that will help to see how long you have to go.

 

[tengtou]

What size is your tank?

You stated you just dosed the tank this morning to 4ppm and then just tested it a while ago but is has been that way for a few days now? Im confused.

 

[FishNewbie]

To answer the questions posted to me. My tap water contains no detectable amounts of Nitrates. My tank is a 20 us gallon. I dosed the tank this morning at 11:00 to bring my amm level to a reading of 4.0ppm i just tested a little while ago the reading is now .25ppm so in a short few hours most of the Amm has been processed. Hope that clears up the confusion. my PH is currently 7.4

 

[WILDER]

Looks like to me it going to be cycled pretty fast, a day or two.

 

[tengtou]

Id wait a bit longer for nitrite reading to go down. It's still trying to get nitrite into nitrate. You still also want beneficial bacteria to fully develope in the water, not just relying on the ones in the filter media. Id keep checking the water until you see nitrite going down, and nitrate going up. Once your nitrate reading reaches the stress part in the test kit reading, id start doing 25% water changes.

 

[FishNewbie]

Thank you I hope you guys are right hope it is soon. Not much fun looking at a empty tank. I already know I want some Albino corys, a dwarf Gouramni, a few platies and some guppies

 

[vinylman]

Thank you I hope you guys are right hope it is soon. Not much fun looking at a empty tank. I already know I want some Albino corys, a dwarf Gouramni, a few platies and some guppies

Guppies are best added around 6-8 weeks after the cycle has finished. As with Neons, they're not as hardy as they used to be.