Cycle underway

[Hpisavage21]

I started cycling my stand yesterday.I have a 10g tank with a Ebo Jagar 50wheater and AquaClear 150 Filter. I added enough ammonia to bring it up to 5 ppm, this morning I tested and it dropped to 2 ppm, I added more to bring it to 5ppm again.I tested the nitrIte and its still at zero. I figure that once I get a nitrIte spike and I add ammonia again to bring it to 5ppm and It comes down to zero overnight I am ready?

[ArkyLady]

The cycle is complete when you add the ammonia, then come back later and see 0 ammonia and 0 nitrIte. Once you start seeing nitrAte, then you're well on your way to completing the cycle. It can take 4-6 weeks to complete the cycle, so don't get too impatient with it. You can speed things up by taking gravel or filter material from an established tank if you have one available and "seeding" the new filter to jump start your bacteria.

[daveedka]

Just curious, did you already add bacteria from another source? do you have plants? is the tank covered? It seems odd that ammonia levels dropped that quickly at the start of the cycle.
Dave

[Hpisavage21]

Nope, No bacteria from other tanks, no plants. I used Eco-Complete which claims to have live bacteria. It was less than 24 hours before the ammonia dropped. I tested NitrIte and its at 0ppm.

Yup Its covered with a hood. I kept the light on for 6-7 hours. (Indacensent till I get plants)

[Hpisavage21]

Just did another Ammonia test its still at 5ppm and NitrIte is 0 asnd NitrAte is also 0. :) Thanks I dunno why it dropped so fast overnight though.

[daveedka]

Not sure about eco complete, but if it is like "cycle" it contains a bacteria that does eat ammonia, but doesn't live long in a tank. so it may have been the eco complete and it's now done. Not really sure.
Either way it will be a couple of weeks before you see things changing so be patient and start planning your fish. 4-6 weeks total is usually what it takes as said earlier.
Dave

[Hpisavage21]

Have 5.0 NitrItes and 40 ppm of Nitrates ammonia was at 2.00 added a drop to bring it to 3 ppm.