rebeccmh

I have a 2.5 gallon tank with one male betta in it. I had to cycle it with him in it as I couldn't leave him in the 1/2 gallon tank he was in before. It's been running for a couple of weeks now, but I don't understand where I stand in the cycle. In the beginning I messed up and added Stability because I didn't know any better, but when I found out it wasn't good bacteria to use I stopped, so I haven't been adding any sort of bacteria since then, everything natural. I use AmQuel+ and NovAqua+ water conditioners and I recently added a live Anubias Nana plant to the tank.
I am just really confused about my NitrItes. My ammonia always seems to be at 1, NitrItes at 0 and NitrAtes between 5 and 10. (I use API Master test kit)
How come I have enough NitrAtes, but no NitrItes. I used to have very small readings of NitrItes, but they disappeared and haven't had any since.
On 7/2 I added the Anubias Nana, so I took a reading before I added it and then after I added it, along with a 50% WC.
No matter what size WC I do or how often my Ammonia never seems to change and my cycle just doesn't seem to be going anywhere. I know it takes time, but I'm just confused about the Nitrites...
Sorry for the essay...

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Sharkitty

You are basically at the beginning of the cycle. You have some bacteria going, which is why you have no nitrites - in my experience, and from reading what others have said - that part goes really fast (nitrite to nitrate) because I never get a reading either. So I wouldn't worry about that.

I know that you said you were doing 25% changes mostly daily? This just means that your fishy is making enough waste to put .25ppm back in the water per day, so if you want it under 1 you're going to have to be diligent about 50% daily changes.

It takes longer to cycle with fish than without, so expect this to be another month or even two.

prairielilly

Have you tested your water straight from the tap? it's possible to have nitrates in your tap water, which would give you a nitrate reading without any nitrites. I would suspect this as your ammonia level isn't changing, whereas if the cycle was kicking in you'd be seeing ammonia rising then dropping, then nitrite rising then dropping...

I'm not familiar with AmQuel or NovAqua, but does either of them 'bind' the ammonia and make it unavailable to the biofilter?

Shawnie

I would also think maybe there is ammonia in the tap...when you do water change of that amount, it should go down...you only need one of either amquel+

bolivianbaby

Rebeccmh,

Please do not get discouraged. It took me SIX WEEKS to cycle my 5 gallon betta tank with him in it. It was almost a month to the day when I started seeing nitrites. Just keep doing the water changes as the other members have suggested. One day, you'll see the nitrites (or maybe not as Sharkitty, Marsha, and Shawnie suggested). As long as you're looking after the health of your fish, your tank will eventually cycle.

Hang in there and it will be cycled before you know it

rebeccmh

Prarielilly, AmQuel+ detoxifies the ammonia, but it doesn't "bind" it, so it doesn't interfere with the cycle.

Shawnie, I haven't tested my tap water yet with this test kit, so I will do that tomorrow and post what they are. Although, if I do find that there is some Ammonia and Nitrates, does that change anything I should be doing, how the cycle will go or even once the cycle is eventually completed?

I know it's supposed to take a long time with him in it, I just didn't understand how to interpret the readings I have been getting. I will be sure to do 50% water changes daily and just keep an eye on things.

Thanks everyone