Ammonia 2ppm, nitrites 0ppm, nitrates 80ppm

[Lidika]

Hello,

I'm currently cycling a 40 gallon breeder tank for my axolotl. I'm on day 7 and I've been dosing with Dr Tim's up to four parts per million daily waiting for the nitrites to spike and then drop down to zero along with zero ammonia and nitrates between five parts per million to 20 parts per million. today my parameters are very confusing. I woke up this morning to:
Ammonia- 2ppm
Nitrites- 0ppm
Nitrates 80ppm
Ph 6.0

My Ph crashed overnight from 7.8 to 6.0.

my tap water parameters are as follows:
ammonia - 0 PPM
nitrites- 0 PPM
nitrates - 5 PPM

how is it possible to have such high ammonia zero nitrites and nitrates at 80 PPM?

initially started my cycle with tap water dechlorinated with Prime along with 16 oz of Fritz zyme 7 nitrifying bacteria. I then dosed Dr Tim's ammonia up to four parts per million and check the perimeters in 24 hours to see if my ammonia has dropped to less than four parts per million and if so, dose it back up to four PPM and check the parameters in another 24 hours. The most ammonia that has been consumed in that 24-hour period is 2PPM as the lowest reading I've ever received is two PPM down from 4 PPM 24 hours prior.
the highest the nitrites have spiked during this entire 7-Day cycle has only been as high as .5 PPM. I was truly expecting a spike in nitrites before such a large spike in nitrates was seen.
I would also like to mention that I did have seeded bio filter material from a previously cycle tank as well as plants pulled from a well cycled tank. I currently have two 40 gallon sponge filters attached to the side of the wall within the tank that also have bio-media balls in the bottom portion of this filter.

I've ordered turbo start 700 it will be here tomorrow I was considering using that to help with this cycle if needed. I currently have my axolotl tubbed as the person that I got her from gave me completely inaccurate information about tanks not needing to be cycled all I would have to do is a 20% water change once a week and she would be fine I have since learned this is all inaccurate information and I'm trying my best to get her a safe and healthy environment to live in. Any assistance from anybody or recommendations, anything to help me get her tank cycled and possibly explain how it's possible to have such a high ammonia no nitrites and high nitrates in a cycle it's very confusing and I'm not sure where to go from here.

Thank you so much!

Lidika

 

[Azedenkae]

There is in fact, no obligation for nitrite to HAVE to spike during a cycle. This is a common misconception unfortunately relentlessly perpetuated by many guides on the internet.

What you are seeing is most likely that the bottled bacteria product and/or the seeded biomedia you use working well enough, that any nitrite produced is immediately converted to nitrate. Hence why you don't see nitrite. Though not quite well enough to fully consume the ammonia.

I would recommend doing a 100% water change to restore your pH to higher levels, hopefully. And then also to figure out a way to buffer your pH longer term, like using crushed coral.

As for dosing, you should only re-dose ammonia when both ammonia and nitrite drops to zero.

 

[Lidika]

Thank you so much, I will do this wait and check parameters again. I appreciate your help so much.