Why Is My Cycle Going Slow?

[BLUFOX]

ive been cycling my fluval edge 23litre for 4 weeks now.
last night i put in 4pmm of pure ammonia in at 9.20pm last night and i checked it at 8.20am this morning and it was at 2ppm.
the nitrite is at 5ppm. why is it taking so long??

i cycled a 180 litre before and that only took 6 weeks.

im using the add and wait method.so everytime the ammonia goes down to 0 im adding ammonia to get it back to 4ppm.

 

[Prime Ordeal]

Is it taking too long? Your previous cycle took six weeks and you're four weeks in now on this one with the first stage nitrifiers doing their thing. Maybe in two more weeks it'll be done.

Or are you making the assumption that because it's a much smaller tank it should cycle quicker? If so it doesn't work that way. The nitrifying bacteria grow at a rate determined by numerous factors such as temperature, pH, KH, O2 level etc., but tank size isn't one of those factors (all other things being equal).

 

[CezzaXV]

So, the ammonia halved in 12 hours, so I'm guessing you get 0 ammonia in 24? Sounds about right to me.

Some people would kill to be where you are 4 weeks into a cycle