Tank cycling

[BloodBath]

I've just setup a 100gallon tank and has been cycling for about 5 weeks...ive been testing and everything seemed fine .... But now I'm only getting ammonia reading at about 0.50 and not seeing any nitrite or nitrate...is my tank cycled??

 

[gymby11]

In my experience ammonia = not cycled. 

 

How have you started the cycle? What have your previous readings been?

[BloodBath]

I used dr Tim's one and only 2 start cycle..

Ammonia was reading about 1.0ppm Nitrite was about.0.50ppm and now it is 0 Nitrate Was reading around 5.0ppm and now I'm getting 0

 

Could my skimmer be responsible I just turned it on about a week ago???

 

[Murphs_Reef]

No ammonia should not be present

[BloodBath]

What should I do from here??

[Murphs_Reef]

Your tank should be able to process ammonia down to zero. And you should be able to demonstrate that it can by adding ammonia and after 24hrs it reading zero again. I like to see my ammonia spike to 2ppm during it's cycle so I know it can comfortably handle bioload.

 

Personally I would stop skimming.

What ammonia source did you use?

[BloodBath]

Fish food

[Clown79]

6 hours ago, BloodBath said:

Fish food

Fish food isn't an accurate method because you can't control the actual ammonia level produced

 

If you used dry rock ammonia dosing is the cleanest method and more accurate.

 

Ammonia needs to be dosed to 2ppm and 2ppm needs to process within 24hrs before the tank is cycled.

 

0.50 of ammonia and 5ppm of nitrate definitely isn't indicative of a cycled tank.

 

Your nitrate would be higher and ammonia 0.

 

I would get some dr tims ammonia and bio spira.

 

 

[BloodBath]

Will do..thanks 🙂

[BloodBath]

I dosed with bio spira and added dr rims ammonia and it's been 6 days..

 

I dosed ammonia to 2ppm yesterday and it dropped to about  0.25ppm my Nitrite is about 2.0ppm and nitrate is about 80ppm 

Is my cycle complete???

 

[MSunkin23]

Nope, not yet. You want ammonia to be zero, nitrite zero also. You want that process to happen quickly also. I would re-dose ammonia up to 2ppm and monitor how long it takes to bring ammonia and nitrite to zero. 

[banasophia]

6 hours ago, BloodBath said:

I dosed with bio spira and added dr rims ammonia and it's been 6 days..

 

I dosed ammonia to 2ppm yesterday and it dropped to about  0.25ppm my Nitrite is about 2.0ppm and nitrate is about 80ppm 

Is my cycle complete???

 

@MSunkin23 is correct... you want ammonia and nitrite to be zero when you are done. Check out Dr Tim’s instructions about when to add more ammonia and retest. 

 

https://www.drtimsaquatics.com/resources/library/quick-guide-to-fishless-cycling-with-one-and-only/