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Adding more nitrite will not trigger the nitrite-oxidizers to replicate even more per se, and too much nitrite can actually stall the cycle. Hence it is better to wait until both ammonia and nitrite to drop to zero before re-dosing ammonia again. Your nitrate readings look like they are...

Generally, yes you can use the same media in freshwater, including the biomedia. Interestingly there is evidence that nitrifiers ('beneficial bacteria') specifically normally found in saltwater, can function in freshwater, but not vice versa. So in this case, you might at least get a good boost...

Yeah pre-filters are good, I like them. I don't have one on my current tank. Whenever I stir up detritus in my tank somehow it still clears up, but certainly not as fast or as well. Hopefully it should not be too long anymore before ammonia drops to zero, and then nitrite to zero too.

Assuming the nitrate was not there before and there now, and that it is not due to testing issues, then certainly it is possible. Especially with adding nitrifiers to the tank, there can be enough nitrite-oxidizers from the get go to handle the nitrite produced from ammonia oxidation, hence...

Might as well add all the API Quick Start, no reason to not really. Looks like the cycle is definitely progressing. Note that Prime allegedly detoxifies ammonia and nitrite, but allegedly does not cause a change in the reading itself, due to how it works. With your Q about ammonia and nitrate...

So phosphate is important whether it is freshwater or saltwater. After all, there are five elements common in all living beings, and phosphorous is one of them, along with carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. Then there are a whole range of other chemicals too. However, the question is -...

Honestly at this point I doubt Dr. Tim’s would really help - not that it would have helped regardless. I have significant doubts about the efficacy of Dr. Tim’s. Not that bottled bac products in general can’t work, just that out of 200 or so threads about it across forums I have visited, like...

That would be cool for sure, to see their response. Anyone want to be the middle-person to collate our questions and then contact the company? :D

With their Bacterial Goop product, it seems like the bacteria is shipped in liquid, so yeah definitely reg flag there. For their pre-matured aquarium filters - I guess it would depend on how long it takes for them to ship to their final destination I guess, and if they'd be stored in water...

If the shelf life is only 48 hours then I would highly doubt it is actual nitrifying bacteria. They are known to go for weeks to months starved of ammonia before even going dormant. So if it's two days and they already go dormant or die off or whatever... that's a red flag.

Nah they can easily go weeks to months ammonia-starved before they even start to go dormant, let alone die off significantly. Depending on the species of course, there are probably exceptions. In my field of microbiology, there's always that saying after all - there is absolutely an exception...

Well, definitely looking like it is progressing, so that's great! Don't worry though, the test kit lasts for a while. I am on to my fourth cycle with my current master test kit and still going strong. :3 Though I will have to clarify, one of those cycles was pretty much an instant cycle (moved...

Yes you can absolutely keep running with them like this, provided they are not interfering with mechanical bits and pieces (like if they blocked the impeller or something like that), which does not seem to be the case here. The bag just makes sure they stay together (and makes their transport...

I only re-dose ammonia when both ammonia and nitrite reaches zero. That way, I firstly know that I would never run the risk of having nitrite spike wayyy too high and start to really significantly inhibit the cycling process. And secondly, to better track progress. One can always do a serial...

Nice! Yeah I would just ignore all cloudiness to be honest. Whether a bacterial bloom or otherwise. 1ppm ammonia converts to 2.7ish ppm nitrite by the way, so assuming the 0.25ppm nitrite is all the nitrite so far produced, then that'd only correspond to a decline of 0.09ppm ammonia or so, not...

Yo. So firstly, just want to say I am happy that you are around Secondly, I will say you are correct about a lot of what you said. Absolutely, heterotrophs can and do break down stuff into ammonia. Yes, diatoms do use ammonia and related compounds for growth. Yes, heterotrophs (and diatoms) do...

Yep, spot on! Yw. Good luck! :D You've done plenty of research, so I am sure it will go fine for ya. ^_^

Minecraft axolotls are sooooooo cute! Sorry. Anyways firstly, yes ammonia and nitrate can be present in tap water. Pretty common, actually. Second, go ahead and continue adding the Seachem Stability. Note that with Seachem Stability, you may see an initial decrease in ammonia without any...

Gotcha, thanks for all the info. So firstly, no, water changes do not at all impact the cycle, even 100% ones. Your aunt is entirely wrong about the water changes, specifically because this is a fish-in cycle. If you want, ask her exactly why water changes would stall/prevent cycling, and I can...

Yeah I agree with GlennO. You can also have a heater in the tank outside, but given it has the potential to leak, not sure if that's a risk you'd want to take. So probs a bit more limited on what to have, but yeah.