Where am I in the cycle?

[TEX]

Brief overview: Added dr. Tim's One & Only plus 2ppm ammonium chloride last night. Tested 24hrs later and these are my results—

ammonia: ~0.15-0.25
nitrite: 0 (I think?)
nitrate: 0 (I think?)

It's really difficult for me to read the test kit (partially colorblind) and the shadows kind of messed with me, despite being in the best lit room I could find.

I went ahead and dosed ammonium chloride again and will test in 24hrs. Just wanted some reassurance of where I'm at.

 

[ndrwater]

Check the ammonia to start. That's the important one.
Beyond that, once you start seeing Nitrate and holding at zero with Ammonia and Nitrite, would be the time to think about being cycled.
Follow the directions. Biology takes a bit of time, bit Dr Tim's works well

 

[Plecosam]

Looks to be a hint of nitrate so you cycle is underway, if you look sideways through the nitrate container this is the low level reading. Divide the chart colour by 10 so 100 will be 10ppm.

You are not there yet as ammonia is still present, I would not dose again just leave it for another day.

Getting there slowly!

 

[TEX]

Check the ammonia to start. That's the important one.
Beyond that, once you start seeing Nitrate and holding at zero with Ammonia and Nitrite, would be the time to think about being cycled.
Follow the directions. Biology takes a bit of time, bit Dr Tim's works well

Thanks for the reply! that significant of an ammonia drop is pretty good for day one though, yeah?

 

[Plecosam]

Yeah the little mongrels are doing their thing.

 

[TEX]

Looks to be a hint of nitrate so you cycle is underway, if you look sideways through the nitrate container this is the low level reading. Divide the chart colour by 10 so 100 will be 10ppm.

You are not there yet as ammonia is still present, I would not dose again just leave it for another day.

Getting there slowly!

Thank you! Glad you caught what my eye couldn't on the nitrate. I actually already dosed ammonia again (oops) but I'll test it again in 24 hours and if it's present at all I'll leave it be.

 

[TEX]

Update:

This is day 4, and these are my numbers—

ammonia: 0.5
nitrite: 0.1-0.2
nitrate: 5-10
pH: 8.3

24 hrs ago I dosed what I would consider too much ammonia in retrospect (and I have been overdosing). I wasn't taking into account the fact my tank doesn't have exactly 10 gallons, its probably more like 8 but I've been dosing 2ppm accounting for 10 gallons.

According to Dr. Tim's directions it would seem my "cycle" is done in terms of being able to add fish, but I'm not sure. It states that if you can add 2ppm and both ammonia and nitrate are below 0.2 in 24hrs your tank is cycled—well I added more than 2ppm on top of testing 0.5 ammonia when I added it, and I'm back down to 0.5.

Appreciate y'all's help and patience!

 

[Louiemiller9]

Update:

This is day 4, and these are my numbers—

ammonia: 0.5
nitrite: 0.1-0.2
nitrate: 5-10
pH: 8.3

24 hrs ago I dosed what I would consider too much ammonia in retrospect (and I have been overdosing). I wasn't taking into account the fact my tank doesn't have exactly 10 gallons, its probably more like 8 but I've been dosing 2ppm accounting for 10 gallons.

According to Dr. Tim's directions it would seem my "cycle" is done in terms of being able to add fish, but I'm not sure. It states that if you can add 2ppm and both ammonia and nitrate are below 0.2 in 24hrs your tank is cycled—well I added more than 2ppm on top of testing 0.5 ammonia when I added it, and I'm back down to 0.5.

Appreciate y'all's help and patience!

So close!!! Just keep waiting it out.... good things never happen quickly. But believe me when it rains it pours!

 

[TEX]

Thank you! I can be patient Should I add more ammonium chloride tonight?

 

[Plecosam]

I would not add any, wait for it to drop to 0, if it is dropping the bacteria is doing its thing.

 

[Louiemiller9]

Thank you! I can be patient Should I add more ammonium chloride tonight?

I wouldn’t add anything... patience is a virtue

 

[TEX]

I wouldn’t add anything... patience is a virtue

Agreed. I’m in no rush, just asking whether adding more was the right next step. Thanks for the help!

 

[TEX]

Tested again at 12:30pm today just to see where things are at.

Somehow ammonia rose from 0.5/1 to 2?
Is this even possible, given I've been adding pure ammonia and haven't added any more since my last test 16 hrs ago? or is it a misread?

 

[Louiemiller9]

post photos of your results.

Might be a misread although many things can cause an ammonia swing.

 

[TEX]

post photos of your results.

Might be a misread although many things can cause an ammonia swing.

It seems like maybe in between 1.5 and 2

 

[Louiemiller9]

It seems like maybe in between 1.5 and 2

That is the problem with most test kits.... so hard to read ammonia levels.

IMO I would say it look more similar to the .5 than the 2 (the water just seems cloudy)

Only way to check is another test in the morning.

Take Care

 

[TEX]

That is the problem with most test kits.... so hard to read ammonia levels.

IMO I would say it look more similar to the .5 than the 2 (the water just seems cloudy)

Only way to check is another test in the morning.

Take Care

Well, at least that makes me feel a little better! They're so hard to read, and it doesn't help that I'm colorblind hahaha. I'll clean the vial out real good and test again in the morning.

You've been a huge help with this, as well as the other's who've chimed in, and I really appreciate it

 

[Louiemiller9]

Anytime! .....and Welcome to the Club!

 

[Plecosam]

Lights on or off during your cycle?

 

[TEX]

Lights on or off during your cycle?

Honest answer (and I know it's frowned upon) is they've been on during the day for me to try different settings out before I get anything in the tank. I can (and probably should) leave them off though