Cycling my 5 gallon

I've been cycling my 5 gallon tank for approx 5 weeks, I've been using the fish food method and just letting it sit there and grow mold or whatever that white stuff is because I'm in no hurry to stock it. I've always got reading of

Ammonia - 1 to 2ppm
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate 0

I didnt check it for about a week and today I got

Ammonia - 1ppm
Nitrite- 0
Nitrate - 5

Does this mean I'm close to having it cycled? The 0 nitrites are kinda throwing me off also I thought the nitrates would be a little higher than 5.

 

The fish food method can be rather slow. I’d recommend dosing with ammonia over food. It is easier to regulate and track. Is this a planted tank? You should be seeing some nitrites as well if you are seeing nitrates. Your cycle is progressing, albeit slowly. When you are fully cycled your readings should be 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and some nitrates.

 

The fish food method can be rather slow. I’d recommend dosing with ammonia over food. It is easier to regulate and track. Is this a planted tank? You should be seeing some nitrites as well if you are seeing nitrates. Your cycle is progressing, albeit slowly. When you are fully cycled your readings should be 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and some nitrates.

Yeah I didnt understand why I was seeing nitrates but no nitrites. The slow cycling doesn't bother me for this tank I'm in no hurry with it. I'm either going to keep it as a quarantine tank/hospital tank or put a betta in it!

 

That works,just keep doing what you are doing and you will eventually get there. Once it’s cycled I would still feed the tank to keep your bacteria happy if there are no fish in it

 

That works,just keep doing what you are doing and you will eventually get there. Once it’s cycled I would still feed the tank to keep your bacteria happy if there are no fish in it

Yes that's true I forgot about that lol, thank you