Two questions about my cycle

[metropolis93fan]

I started my cycle long enough ago that it should have been okay while I was having surgery this Friday (and hospitalized 3-5 days, and leaving home tomorrow). I have cycled 3 tanks before... so I shouldn't be having problems. But I am. The cycle started, my nitrites were showing... .25 ppm... I knew you weren't supposed to redose yet so I waited the 3 days... and I had almost no ammonia and zero nitrites! I had to start my cycle over. I really thought I'd be okay by this point... I waited on starting to cycle because I was supposed to have the surgery in early July... didn't want to mess things up. Then it got postponed and I immediately started the tank (Mid-June) thinking I'd have enough time...

So...
Question 1: Is it normal for ammonia to be going down and no nitrites showing? Because that's happening to my tank. I had it at 2 ppm (It's only for shrimp, so low bioload) and last night I tested... still no nitrites but the ammonia was clearly down to 1 ppm

Question 2: Would I be safer to do an extra dose of ammonia before leaving to bring it back up to 2 ppm so my cycle doesn't crash again? Or would that mess things up?

Sorry to sound dumb. I thought I'd be good to go on my cycling after having history with it... but... I guess every tank's different!

 

[Ichthys]

1. Your ammonia has dropped so there has been nitrites. Sometimes there’s enough bacteria waiting for the nitrite and it goes right through to nitrate as soon as it’s produced, so there’s never enough to show up on a test. Ammonia dropping and nitrate rising both prove nitrites.

2. You can dose back up to 2 at any time. You don’t need to wait till it’s zero. I would dose up before you leave. Then the bacteria should be ok without food for a few days.

 

[metropolis93fan]

1. Your ammonia has dropped so there has been nitrites. Sometimes there’s enough bacteria waiting for the nitrite and it goes right through to nitrate as soon as it’s produced, so there’s never enough to show up on a test. Ammonia dropping and nitrate rising both prove nitrites.

2. You can dose back up to 2 at any time. You don’t need to wait till it’s zero. I would dose up before you leave. Then the bacteria should be ok without food for a few days.

I'll check nitrates then! I've never heard of it bypassing nitrites before. Should be an interesting experiment. And thanks. I'll definitely dose back up to 2 just to be safe... I don't want to have to start all over AGAIN!

 

[AlexT]

Is it normal for ammonia to be going down and no nitrites showing?

Yes it can and does happen. Ammonia can evaporate from the water during the process. Has happened to me.