Dont Know Where To Go Next With Cycle

[routemaster]

hello there.
hope someone can help me get sorted I have a 125 litre tank with a fluval u3 filter led lighting temp of 26deg c P gravel and plastic plants.
my parameter's are ph 7.4- nh3 2.0ppm-no2 0-no3 40/80-gh9-gh14.
I am about six weeks into fishless cycle I have had a lot of probs along the way I am using a house ammonia 9.5 strength for the past week my readings have been the same day to day I dose the nh3 up to 2.0ppm then leave it for a day take a reading and its0. 50 ppm repeat the dosing again and check the next day and its0. 50 again there is no nitrite spike I don't know what to do next I would like to have fish in the tank before xmas at this rate I can't see it at this moment in time hope someone can help me please.

 

[Donthemon]

Use tetra Safestart with a few fish and cycle in 10 -14 days. Some feel it’s cruel to fish in cycle, but if you follow directions it works out great! Do a massive water change first.

 

[hanra85]

You mentioned you have 40-80 nitrate though? So you do have a complete cycle, you just missed the nitrite spike... There's only two ways your ammonia levels are dropping from 2ppm-0.5ppm... one would be from a 75% water change (which I know you didn't do), the other is because it's being converted to Nitrite, which is being promptly converted to Nitrate, hence the nitrate existing.
You could try only adding 1ppm of ammonia, topping it up to a total of 1.50ppm and see if it uses it all up, since you're saying you're left with 0.50ppm, your system is allegedly only processing 1.50 ppm of the 2.0ppm ammonia in a 24 hour span. Either it just hasn't reached 2.0ppm capacity yet or you have something giving your test a false reading.
Either way, l think it's safe enough to stop cycling, do a massive water change and start adding some fish.

 

[routemaster]

thank you for your reply I will try what you mentioned

Use tetra Safestart with a few fish and cycle in 10 -14 days. Some feel it’s cruel to fish in cycle, but if you follow directions it works out great! Do a massive water change first.

You mentioned you have 40-80 nitrate though? So you do have a complete cycle, you just missed the nitrite spike... There's only two ways your ammonia levels are dropping from 2ppm-0.5ppm... one would be from a 75% water change (which I know you didn't do), the other is because it's being converted to Nitrite, which is being promptly converted to Nitrate, hence the nitrate existing.
You could try only adding 1ppm of ammonia, topping it up to a total of 1.50ppm and see if it uses it all up, since you're saying you're left with 0.50ppm, your system is allegedly only processing 1.50 ppm of the 2.0ppm ammonia in a 24 hour span. Either it just hasn't reached 2.0ppm capacity yet or you have something giving your test a false reading.
Either way, l think it's safe enough to stop cycling, do a massive water change and start adding some fish.

thank you for your comments appreciated.

All ready for my big water change tap water primed and letting stand overnight change tomorrow will publish results.

 

[routemaster]

well I've done the 8o% water change and here are the parameter readings.
PH 8.0 NH3 0.25 NO2 0 N03 0.25 GH13drops KH9drops one or two things have changed but still got ammonia showing any more suggestions of what I should do now thanks in anticipation.

 

[mattgirl]

Some folks never get a zero reading for ammonia no matter how long they wait. Since your addition of ammonia goes down to .25 each time and your nitrates go up I have to think this tank is in fact cycled.

Did you have a nitrite reading at any time during this cycle? If not did you add any bottled bacteria during the cycle? If so then never seeing a nitrite spike isn't unheard of.

If your ammonia continues to go from the addition of 2ppm ammonia down to .25 within 24 hours, you are seeing no nitrites and your nitrates go up then this tank is ready for a water change to get the nitrates as low as you can (less than 20 should be sufficient) and add your fish.

 

[hanra85]

What brand of test kit and water conditioner do you use?

 

[routemaster]

Some folks never get a zero reading for ammonia no matter how long they wait. Since your addition of ammonia goes down to .25 each time and your nitrates go up I have to think this tank is in fact cycled.

Did you have a nitrite reading at any time during this cycle? If not did you add any bottled bacteria during the cycle? If so then never seeing a nitrite spike isn't unheard of.

If your ammonia continues to go from the addition of 2ppm ammonia down to .25 within 24 hours, you are seeing no nitrites and your nitrates go up then this tank is ready for a water change to get the nitrates as low as you can (less than 20 should be sufficient) and add your fish.

Thank you matt girl.

 

[mattgirl]

Thank you matt girl.

You are so very welcome