Some quetions about my Fishless Cycle...

[new2fish]

Ok, so I started my fishless Cycle in my 55 gallon tank on Sunday. Here are the readings as of now:
Ammonia-.5
Nitrite- 6.0
Nitrate- WAY WAY over 160

No matter how much or how little ammonia I put in the water, it always stays at .5, why does it do this?
How can my nitrates be so high when I still have a lot of nitrites?
I have 3 filters in my 55 gallon from my 4 month old 30 gallon. I have been putting more gravle from, my 30 gallon into my 55 gallon every day. ARG!!!! How much longer will this take???!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Tolak]

That really isn't bad for 5 days, imo. The high level of nitrates may be inhibiting your bacteria from fully processing the ammo. I did my first fishless cycle on a 20 gal a while back, utilizing some of the filter media from my 55, and it took 8 days, which I thought was amazingly short. Having nitrites and nitrates in such a short time would tell me that you are progressing really well. You may want to do a partial water change to bring down some of the nitrates, and cut back on the ammonia that you are adding just a little.

I was adding enough ammo to my tank to get a reading of3.0-4.0, had a nitrite spike after 4 days that lasted 2 days, then started producing nitrates. After 8 days I would add enough ammo to bring it up to that level, and 24 hours later ammo and nitrites would be zero. Kept that up for another week just to be safe, and started adding fish after that.

I've read posts where people were taking 2-4 weeks to do a fishless cycle, you are really on the right track by adding the mature gravel and filters. This seems to help things progress much more quickly, and if it works out anything like mine did, you should be good to go about a week from now.

Tolak

 

[NEWBUTNOTDUMB69]

i started my 55gal cycling 4days ago and i already have fish in it but i used a combo of things like old decorations from my other tanks old rocks and large fish to start with this might not be a good way to start but its helped me

 

[new2fish]

Thanks guys! So just not put so much ammonia in anymore? And thats it? Ok, just testing my nitrates. Last night they were at 160+....now they're at 20!!!!!
How would they go down so quickly!? I didn't chnage the water! Are you sure I'm doing this fishless cycle thing right??!!
Now:
Ammonia- less than .5 (and I just put some in about an hour ago!)
Nitrite- Off the scale, still about 6.0
And Nirtate- 20 (last night thsi was at 160+)

Lordy, Lordy!!!!!!!!!

 

[NEWBUTNOTDUMB69]

thats what i think because ive nver added ammonia because the fish create there own when they do there duty

 

[Tolak]

What brand of test are you using? I use Aquarium Pharmicudicals, and you have to shake the second bottle for a minute, as well as the test tube for a minite, then let it sit for 5 minites. Also, make sure the test your using is not really old or something, and get the water sample from the middle of the tank, not the surface.

Tolak