I added pure ammonia to my 100 gallon tank a few days ago and have been maintaining an ammonia level of 4 to 5 ppm. I tested my tank for nitrites and got a reading of 5.0... Is this the n20 spike? My current level of ammonia is down to 3ppm... What do I do next? Do I continue to add ammonia or do I do the water change... This is my first time cycling a tank.. Thanks :help:
Cycling help please... What to do??
- Thread starter itzyaboyrd
- Start date
You keep adding ammonia until it has finished cycling, however from what I've read the nitrite spike should be unreadable, or shown as the highest your test goes. Once the spike occurs (and if that isn't the spike it should occur very soon), you add about half the ammonia you were adding before. Once ammonia and nitrites are both 0 within 12 hours (I think) you are done. Then you can and should change 90% of the water to take out the massive amount of nitrates that have built up.
So continue to add 1/2 ammonia until I get a 0 reading for both nitrites and ammonia? At this point I should be getting readings for nitrates correct?
You need to add ammonia to maintain around 4 or 5ppm.
You might not get readings for Nitrates, due to a few things... like happy plants maybe. I don't know your setup.
During my cycle, I noticed my ammonia dropped and my nitrites went up to about 1 - 1.5 but I always did a wc to keep it in check, daily if needed. I never saw an off the chart spike.
Everyones experience may differ a bit, just keep it up and soon you will see zero readings.
You might not get readings for Nitrates, due to a few things... like happy plants maybe. I don't know your setup.
During my cycle, I noticed my ammonia dropped and my nitrites went up to about 1 - 1.5 but I always did a wc to keep it in check, daily if needed. I never saw an off the chart spike.
Everyones experience may differ a bit, just keep it up and soon you will see zero readings.
This morning my ammonia was down to 3 ppm so I added more.... My nitrites were at 5 ppm. I also tested (1st time) for nitrates and got a reading of 30ppm. Is this a good sign? Should I do a water change? Whats my next step?
when ammonia is 0 and nitrite is 0 then you have cycled .
the ammonia/ nitrite/nitrate police are gonna get you:lipssealedsmilie:
the ammonia/ nitrite/nitrate police are gonna get you:lipssealedsmilie:
No need to change water until you have zero nitrite and ammonia reading with high nitrate and ready to add fish
If i'm always adding ammonia to maintain a 5ppm reading won't I always get some sort of reading... I guess where i'm confussed is will I just get a 0 reading for both 1 day? Is there a point when i stop adding ammonia? I test my tank every morning before work.
One day you will have enough bacteria that will be able to consume all of the ammonia. You will have a reading after you dose each day but you will get to the point where you will have 0 readings before you dese each day. You have to add ammonia untill you are ready to add fish. If you cycle the tank then stop adding ammonia the bacteria will starve.
