My cycling levels... where am I and what's next?

[genEus]

Background: Fishless cycle using household ammonia and tank seeded with gravel from an established tank. Ammonia added every day to about 3-4ppm and drops to around 1ppm within 24 hours.

Day 5
Ammonia: 1ppm
Nitrites: 0.5ppm
Nitrates: 20ppm

What should I do next? Should I stop adding ammonia, wait until the ammonia and nitrites drop to 0 and add a few fish or should I do something else?

Thanks!!

 

[justin guest]

Keep adding ammonia until nitrites drop to under 0.1ppm, better under 0.05ppm (this could still take a week or two) then stop adding ammonia (cycling pretty much finished). Wait one day, test if the parameters are stable then add a test fish. If everything is OK after 24 hours then add a few more fish and feed lightly. Keep testing if water is OK and add the rest of the fish slowly increasing feeding amounts.
P.s. are you using pure ammonia without additives?
j<><

 

[genEus]

Keep adding ammonia until nitrites drop to under 0.1ppm, better under 0.05ppm (this could still take a week or two) then stop adding ammonia (cycling pretty much finished). Wait one day, test if the parameters are stable then add a test fish. If everything is OK after 24 hours then add a few more fish and feed lightly. Keep testing if water is OK and add the rest of the fish slowly increasing feeding amounts.
P.s. are you using pure ammonia without additives?
j<><

Thanks for the reply! I added some ammonia on Friday but haven't been to work during the w/e, so didn't have a chance to keep adding over the w/e. Hoping tomorrow I see nitrites and ammonia at 0 and nitrates high. Would THAT mean my cycle is done or is it done only when I ADD ammonia and in 24 hours it disappears together with nitrites? I hope I didn't just delay my cycle by 2 days. I've been extremely patient but I do want to add fish already!

 

[genEus]

Well here are my levels this morning... The ammonia is most definitely 0. The nitrites are light blue, yet have just the tiniest purple tinge and the nitrates are around 20+. The colors look a little different in person than in the cell phone pic.

I did a 40% water change and threw in three MTS that I got free from Petsmart and two have already disappeared into the sand. Hoping to add fish tomorrow or Wednesday!

 

[justin guest]

Thanks for the reply! I added some ammonia on Friday but haven't been to work during the w/e, so didn't have a chance to keep adding over the w/e. Hoping tomorrow I see nitrites and ammonia at 0 and nitrates high. Would THAT mean my cycle is done or is it done only when I ADD ammonia and in 24 hours it disappears together with nitrites? I hope I didn't just delay my cycle by 2 days. I've been extremely patient but I do want to add fish already!

I´d wait at least 24 hours after the last addition of ammonia. Then measure. Ammonia 0 and nitrites 0 mean the cycling is then finished
j<><