More bacteria?

[Keko21]

I’ve been cycling for two weeks and ammonia hasn’t made a move in about a week from .05. Nitrites are up somewhere between 1-5ppm also staying pretty steady.

I used Dr Tims bacteria (whole bottle) and ammonia to 2ppm. dry rock and live sand.

should I hit it with more bacteria?

 

[Dburr1014]

I’ve been cycling for two weeks and ammonia hasn’t made a move in about a week from .05. Nitrites are up somewhere between 1-5ppm also staying pretty steady.

I used Dr Tims bacteria (whole bottle) and ammonia to 2ppm. dry rock and live sand.

should I hit it with more bacteria?

Have you checked nitrates?
I suspect you are using API test kit and it's a false reading.

 

[Keko21]

Have you checked nitrates?
I suspect you are using API test kit and it's a false reading.

Exactly- through the roof

 

[Dburr1014]

Exactly- through the roof

Meaning... Nitrate thru the roof??
You are cycled. Do a water change. If you want to double check you are cycled...
Bring ammonia back to 2ppm. It will be back to 0 (or 0.05) on your API test kit the next day.

Do that only one time to check!
Add fish slowly, let the bacteria catch up.

 

[Keko21]

Meaning... Nitrate thru the roof??
You are cycled. Do a water change. If you want to double check you are cycled...
Bring ammonia back to 2ppm. It will be back to 0 (or 0.05) on your API test kit the next day.

Do that only one time to check!
Add fish slowly, let the bacteria catch up.

Nitrate showing at like 80-160 on API
Nitirite 1-5ppm API
Ammonia is still at .5 (not .05 my bad!)

 

[Dburr1014]

Nitrate showing at like 80-160 on API
Nitirite 1-5ppm API
Ammonia is still at .5 (not .05 my bad!)

Can you take a picture of your tank please.

 

[Keko21]

Can you take a picture of your tank please.

 

[Cell]

You cannot accurately measure nitrate if nitrites are present. Stop testing for nitrate until your nitrite drops off.

 

[Dburr1014]

Wait a couple days and test again

 

[Rafaelpadro24]

Nitrate showing at like 80-160 on API
Nitirite 1-5ppm API
Ammonia is still at .5 (not .05 my bad!)

Funny it's a mirror image of my tank cycling test results. I'm on week 5 noticed ammonia dropped but nitrites and nitrates remain the same as the beginning of the 5th week. 180 gallon with a 49 gallon sump. This is also got me puzzled.