Is my tank done cycling

[Jess5023]

I'm doing a fishless cycle.
my nitrate is 15ppm
My nitrite is 2-3ppm(hard to tell)
My ammonia 0ppm
It's been cycling for about 40 days
Is it finished or is my nitrite too high?

 

[Propane]

Prolly done for the most part. Do you keep adding ammonia or food? Edit .2 or 2.

 

[Jess5023]

Prolly done for the most part. Do you keep adding ammonia or food? Edit .2 or 2.

I add food to my aquarium till my ammonia is 2ppm

 

[BaliReefBox]

i think done. if your ammonia went up initially after ammonia source added and you watched it come down to zero, finished

 

[Propane]

Fish food can be pretty random as I think it will decay at different rates depending on location and type. I would quit feeding for a day or 2 and see what happens. If you are useing API they can be a little squirrelly. If it were me I’d do a water change wait a day and see where it’s at. But TBH I’m new

 

[Jess5023]

Fish food can be pretty random as I think it will decay at different rates depending on location and type. I would quit feeding for a day or 2 and see what happens. If you are useing API they can be a little squirrelly. If it were me I’d do a water change wait a day and see where it’s at. But TBH I’m new

Okay thank you

 

[Jess5023]

i think done. if your ammonia went up initially after ammonia source added and you watched it come down to zero, finished
[/QUOTES
I will put ammonia up again to check

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

40 days? You're done.

 

[Matt Bravo]

Wait 2ppm nitrite? This isn’t really specifically targeting anyone but from what I’ve heard you should let ammonia and nitrites go down to 0. Also word of advice dose ammonia again. Just to be safe and double check that the tank really did cycle. It’s better to figure out if it’s cycled while there are no fish in the tank then after you added livestock. Be patient everyone gets excited but think about it long term

 

[Jess5023]

Wait 2ppm nitrite? This isn’t really specifically targeting anyone but from what I’ve heard you should let ammonia and nitrites go down to 0. Also word of advice dose ammonia again. Just to be safe and double check that the tank really did cycle. It’s better to figure out if it’s cycled while there are no fish in the tank then after you added livestock. Be patient everyone gets excited but think about it long term

Okay I will put ammonia in again to check!

 

[Matt Bravo]

Okay I will put ammonia in again to check!

Good for you, always be safe. IMO, those with patience will be greatly rewarded

 

[Jess5023]

Good for you, always be safe. IMO, those with patience will be greatly rewarded

Thank you

 

[Jess5023]

Oh I forget to mention I did a 50%water change about 2 weeks ago because my nitrate and nitrite was very high is that okay to do? I did a 25% but still very high so I did a 50%

 

[BaliReefBox]

error

 

[Jess5023]

error

Should I have left it as it was ?

 

[BaliReefBox]

Should I have left it as it was ?

no i was going to add something but changed my mind.

 

[Jess5023]

no i was going to add something but changed my mind.

Oh okay

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

Oh I forget to mention I did a 50%water change about 2 weeks ago because my nitrate and nitrite was very high is that okay to do? I did a 25% but still very high so I did a 50%

Water changes are fine. But "very high" nitrate would be over 100 in this situation... and if you still have nitrITE, the nitrATE will be falsely high. Once you're cycled, then do a water change to get nitrates to 20-ish (or below).

 

[EeyoreIsMySpiritAnimal]

I'll always advocate for patience and think you're doing a good job making sure to not rush things; I do believe you're safe to start adding some cuc (assuming your lights are on and there's algae) and slowly adding fish. Just remember, a tank is "cycled" when it has enough nitrifying bacteria to handle the current bioload; adding fish increases the bioload and you need to give the bacteria time to catch up after each addition... this is also why some suggest adding a capful of the shelf-stable (i.e. not refrigerated) type of bacteria with each fish addition, just to boost the bac population. (Not really necessary though unless you're adding more than 1-2 fish per month...)

 

[Troylee]

If you had a nitrate spike “which you did” you’re cycled.. I’m guessing the nitrite reading is false or your nitrates would be super high with a false reading as eyore mentioned.. should be good to go as long as you start adding fish slowly..