Cycling Q

[West1]

So I've been cycling my 300 for about 5-6 weeks and I have not done a water change. I have about 2 dz 2-3" comets and my params were all over the place during this time.
Today my params read 0ppm on ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

I always thought ammonia and nitrate was to read 0ppm and nitrite with a reading not at 0ppm when the cycle is done.

The highest my nitrite read was 5.0ppm (deep purple on API kit) last week and dropped little by little along with ammonia/nitrate..

I'm just a little stumped on my readings as everything dropped to 0ppm.

Any answers for the readings? Going to do a big water change tonight and watch my params b4 adding the future tankmates.

 

[Bderick67]

Ammonia and nitrite levels should be at zero. the nitrate levels should be ever increasing and only reduced through water changes.

 

[West1]

Ammonia and nitrite levels should be at zero. the nitrate levels should be ever increasing and only reduced through water changes.

Oops . Well nitrate was super green also and is now yellow (reading 0ppm). Can you think of why I'm getting this reading? Wondering if maybe kit is just super old n giving me a different reading (not calibrated)?

 

[KaiserSousay]

Get an up to date test kit.
You already know you should be showing some nitrate, right?
From your post, you went through the nitrite spike, but then your cycle crashed.
Well, according to your test kit it did.
I would sure use a test kit I could trust before stocking a 300.

 

[Monolicious]

I would not use API for Nitrate tests as they have been known to give false readings, I would go and get yourself a Sera Nitrate test kit just to be sure.

 

[West1]

Get an up to date test kit.
You already know you should be showing some nitrate, right?
From your post, you went through the nitrite spike, but then your cycle crashed.
Well, according to your test kit it did.
I would sure use a test kit I could trust before stocking a 300.

I was afraid of something like that. Any ideas on how this happened? Luckily I fell asleep n did not do a water change.
Fridays readings were
Ammonia 0ppm
.25ppm nitrite
Nitrate 10 (I wrote them down to compare Saturdays numbers).