The homestretch?

[MetalRavioli]

So, I’ve been cycling my 90g as some of you may know, and today is a big day.

Yesterday, after adding some ammonia and fritz turbostart, my levels were:
Ammonia: 2-3
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: damn high, 100+?
pH: 6.8-7.0

Today, my parameters are:
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: still damn high of course, 100+?
pH: 6.4-6.6

Am I finished? My cycle crashed recently and this is the first turbostart I’ve used since the crash, did it just kickstart the cycle up again? Or am I insane? I know I should continue adding ammonia, I already added some today, just to make sure its cycled, but am I basically done? Is this it?

 

[MetalRavioli]

Also: just to make sure, I’ve been dosing ammonia on like a 1-3 (rarely 4) scale. Should I up it at all, or keep it where it is?

 

[Rocksor]

Also: just to make sure, I’ve been dosing ammonia on like a 1-3 (rarely 4) scale. Should I up it at all, or keep it where it is?

If you're not fully stocking all in one day, then you really don't need to increase beyond 2ppm. The bacteria population will grow and decrease depending on the amount of food available to them.

 

[MetalRavioli]

If you're not fully stocking all in one day, then you really don't need to increase beyond 2ppm. The bacteria population will grow and decrease depending on the amount of food available to them.

Not stocking all in one day, so awesome! I’ll go get driftwood and plants as soon as I can while I do some more dosages, and once it does that I’ll start adding fish!

 

[Rocksor]

Not stocking all in one day, so awesome! I’ll go get driftwood and plants as soon as I can while I do some more dosages, and once it does that I’ll start adding fish!

Aquatic plants will consume ammonium first before nitrates. Ammonium is non-toxic ammonia, and it occurs as a result of lower PH. So don't be surprised if the total ammonia measurement on day 1 goes down a bit quicker than before when you keep the same ammonia dosing.

 

[MetalRavioli]

Aquatic plants will consume ammonium first before nitrates. Ammonium is non-toxic ammonia, and it occurs as a result of lower PH. So don't be surprised if the total ammonia measurement on day 1 goes down a bit quicker than before when you keep the same ammonia dosing.

Oh this is very good info. Thank you! Should I wait to add plants, or does it not matter?

 

[Rocksor]

Oh this is very good info. Thank you! Should I wait to add plants, or does it not matter?

You can add at any time, preferably before the fish. In the long run, the plants will be there.