Fishless cycle, no Nitrites after 9 days -- keep waiting?

Hi!
I'm cycling my first tank (20 gallon). I got my media setup, started by adding dr. tim ammonia as specified in their directions. I've been testing and so far (9 days in) the ammonia level seems to be fairly constant, but no nitrites -- do I just keep waiting, or at this point should I be adding further ammonia? Is there enough in there? (It's maybe dipped from 3 to 2 over the 9 days?)

(I checked the pH also, as I have a small piece of wood that has added a small amount of tanins to the water, and we're soft here in the first place -- pH seems OK though?)

 

It takes 2 weeks minimum and on average 3-5 weeks to cycle properly. Just wait. Patience is the number 1 characteristic of a good fishkeeper. You should have the patience to wait for a month easily.

 

It takes 2 weeks minimum and on average 3-5 weeks to cycle properly. Just wait. Patience is the number 1 characteristic of a good fishkeeper. You should have the patience to wait for a month easily.

Patience not an issue! Just wanted to make sure I wouldn’t look back in a month and see I’d missed something. A lot of the guides I browsed gave the impression that things would do something in 5 days but starting to realize there is a small industry focused on making this look easier/faster than it really is!

 

a small industry

Nice euphemism.

 

Hi!
I'm cycling my first tank (20 gallon). I got my media setup, started by adding dr. tim ammonia as specified in their directions. I've been testing and so far (9 days in) the ammonia level seems to be fairly constant, but no nitrites -- do I just keep waiting, or at this point should I be adding further ammonia? Is there enough in there? (It's maybe dipped from 3 to 2 over the 9 days?)

(I checked the pH also, as I have a small piece of wood that has added a small amount of tanins to the water, and we're soft here in the first place -- pH seems OK though?)

View attachment 860479

Did you add nitrifiers ('beneficial bacteria') in any way? I.e. by a bottled bacteria product, established media, some soil, etc.?

 

I’m 14 days in to my fishless cycle with Dr Tim’s ammonia. My ammonia has started to drop the last couple days, I think it’s the plants. It’s at 0.5ppm now down from 2ppm.
Sorry to hijack the thread, do I top it back up or wait for it to fall to 0?

 

I’m 14 days in to my fishless cycle with Dr Tim’s ammonia. My ammonia has started to drop the last couple days, I think it’s the plants. It’s at 0.5ppm now down from 2ppm.
Sorry to hijack the thread, do I top it back up or wait for it to fall to 0?

Wait for both ammonia and nitrite to be zero before re-dosing ammonia.