Help! Fast Nitrite But Slow Ammonia

HI all. I'm a total newbie and I'm trying to do a fishless cycle for my first tank but I'm facing a weird situation...

It's a 55 gallon tank and I've been cycling it for 6 weeks now using pure ammonia. I followed instructions online about topping up ammonia to 2ppm daily. The nitrite spike happened in the 2nd week and it's now gone. However, the ammonia just never seems to get consumed any faster! It takes 2 days or even more to get 2ppm of ammonia down to zero. The nitrite is converted into nitrate instantly. My nitrate was high at 80ppm but I did a full water change to bring it down to 5ppm yesterday. The pH is steady at 7.2 since the day I started cycling. I also keep my tank pretty warm at around 86 degree. It's been weeks of cycling and my ammonia consumption just hasn't gone any faster significantly. Is my tank cycled? Am I stalled? Any help is appreciated!

 

You're not cycled and you're not stalled. You just need to keep doing what you're doing and wait it out I'm afraid. I've been doing mine for 3 months if it makes you feel any better

 

You're not cycled and you're not stalled. You just need to keep doing what you're doing and wait it out I'm afraid. I've been doing mine for 3 months if it makes you feel any better

Thanks for the reply Valerie. Haha. I see what you meant. I thought it should be that the ammonia is consumed before the nitrite is gone. Are you also having the same situation?

 

Thanks for the reply Valerie. Haha. I see what you meant. I thought it should be that the ammonia is consumed before the nitrite is gone. Are you also having the same situation?

Well, most of the time it works like that but my situation was similar to yours. It was taking two days to covert ammonia to nitrates but when I would measure it, all that would show up was ammonia and nitrates until there was only nitrates. I'm not sure why the nitrite bacteria was eating it up quicker.

 

If you want things to go faster, why not try a bacteria starter? The one I have right now doesn't seem to be working, but most people on here recommend Tetra SafeStart. I'm trying that next, though I'm doing a fish-in cycle because I got some bad advice at the pet store and I would prefer things move faster so my little fishy doesn't get hurt.

 

Well, most of the time it works like that but my situation was similar to yours. It was taking two days to covert ammonia to nitrates but when I would measure it, all that would show up was ammonia and nitrates until there was only nitrates. I'm not sure why the nitrite bacteria was eating it up quicker.

That's really frustrating... My patience is wearing out after a month and half

I will keep dosing ammonia for another two weeks and see what would happen...

 

If you want things to go faster, why not try a bacteria starter? The one I have right now doesn't seem to be working, but most people on here recommend Tetra SafeStart. I'm trying that next, though I'm doing a fish-in cycle because I got some bad advice at the pet store and I would prefer things move faster so my little fishy doesn't get hurt.

Thanks for the response! Since I've gone this far the fishless cycle already, I really want to get my tank completely cycled before I add any fish in. I've heard mixing comments about the Tetra SafeStart. Some posts say it does no good to cycle and may even be bad to the bacteria that's already in place. I don't want to risk it either...

 

That's really frustrating... My patience is wearing out after a month and half

I will keep dosing ammonia for another two weeks and see what would happen...

Lol yeah, I've been pulling my hair out for 3 months. I'm 99% sure it's cycled though. At least I'm hoping it is when I get home. We will see I guess lol

 

Thanks for the response! Since I've gone this far the fishless cycle already, I really want to get my tank completely cycled before I add any fish in. I've heard mixing comments about the Tetra SafeStart. Some posts say it does no good to cycle and may even be bad to the bacteria that's already in place. I don't want to risk it either...

I've only heard good things about it for fish-in or fishless cycles. Or seachem prime, though that seems to really be aimed at fish-in cycles since it's supposed to neutralize ammonia. Hopefully your cycle finishes soon!

 

Lol yeah, I've been pulling my hair out for 3 months. I'm 99% sure it's cycled though. At least I'm hoping it is when I get home. We will see I guess lol

I just made a phone call to a local fish store. They suggested adding a few hardy fish like danios and see. If there is no ammonia spike after a week, then I can go ahead and stock more fish. Not sure if this would work but I will give it a try.