I've had my 23g tank established for 3 and a half weeks now, and was looking forward to my (fishless) cycle being completed. On wednesday the tank was able to eliminate Ammonia from 4ppm to 0ppm (measured against a Freshwater Master Test Kit from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals) in a day, and make significant dents to the amount of Nitrites present also.
Come thursday, and the ammonium levels were the same as they were Wednesday night, just after I added some more ammonium (a little darker then 5ppm). Nitrites were between 2 ppm and 5ppm.
They stayed fairly similar until yesturday, when nitrites dropped to 1ppm and ammonium to 1ppm. Today nitrites are immesurable, and ammonium is... 1ppm still.
Is this common? I can only think that somehow I've managed to kill my ammonium digestive bacteria, while leaving my nitrifiers happily digesting. It's a little confusing, and also makes impatient ol' me feel sad that there'll be no fish for even longer.
Come thursday, and the ammonium levels were the same as they were Wednesday night, just after I added some more ammonium (a little darker then 5ppm). Nitrites were between 2 ppm and 5ppm.
They stayed fairly similar until yesturday, when nitrites dropped to 1ppm and ammonium to 1ppm. Today nitrites are immesurable, and ammonium is... 1ppm still.
Is this common? I can only think that somehow I've managed to kill my ammonium digestive bacteria, while leaving my nitrifiers happily digesting. It's a little confusing, and also makes impatient ol' me feel sad that there'll be no fish for even longer.
