I feel like I'm cycling wrong...

So this is my first time cycling a tank and I've tried really hard to read up on how to cycle a tank but there's such conflicting information on how to do it. So I have a 5 gallon tank with a sponge filter and for the last week I have started a fishless cycle using Dr. Tim's ammonia. Every day I check the ammonia levels and try to keep the level at about 2 ppm. Some days this level will go down and then I will put a couple drops of ammonia in the tank to bring it back up to 2 ppm, and some days it stays at 2 ppm so I don't put in any ammonia. Today I tested for nitrites and there's none. I know that not every cycle takes the same amount of time, but I feel like I must be doing something wrong. I thought there should be nitrites by now. Am I doing something wrong? I'm worried I've bought all of this stuff for my tank just to unsuccessfully cycle and not be able to buy a fish...feels like I'm wasting money on a hobby that might never even work. Please help.

 

It can take a couple of weeks for your ammonia to start dropping, and for nitrites to show up. What are you using to test your ammonia? It seems odd that within days of dosing ammonia at the start of a cycle that it would be dropping at all.
Exactly what day did you start dosing ammonia?

 

It can take a couple of weeks for your ammonia to start dropping, and for nitrites to show up. What are you using to test your ammonia? It seems odd that within days of dosing ammonia at the start of a cycle that it would be dropping at all.
Exactly what day did you start dosing ammonia?

I have one of those tests that use a vile you fill with water and then put drops of testing liquid in and shake it...not sure what those are called. I started dosing ammonia on October 22. Also the ammonia hasn’t gone that low...it just sometimes gets closer to 1 ppm at times so I raise it back up.

 

Are you changing the water, or doing anything else to the water/tank other than adding ammonia?

So it's been cycling for 7 days then. On what day did your test show 1ppm? It's not possible for ammonia to have started to drop within a few days of dosing - it will take a while (like at least 10 days or so) for enough bacteria to have grown to process that ammonia into nitrites. I'm wondering if you testing kit is inaccurate/old or perhaps not being performed quite right? Possibly the results are difficult to read with precision? (no offense meant - sometimes test kits can be tricky!)

A fishless cycle is a test of patience. It will likely take 4 - 6 weeks for the whole process.

 

I have not been changing the water. I just bought the ammonia test kit a couple weeks ago so it shouldn't be old. I follow the instructions for the test exactly. On the 24th, 27th and 28th the levels were between 1-2 ppm.

 

I have not been changing the water. I just bought the ammonia test kit a couple weeks ago so it shouldn't be old. I follow the instructions for the test exactly. On the 24th, 27th and 28th the levels were between 1-2 ppm.

It may be 2-3 weeks before you see nitrites. Your cycle is progressing normally. What is your pH aand tank temperature?

 

It may be 2-3 weeks before you see nitrites. Your cycle is progressing normally. What is your pH aand tank temperature?

The temperature is around 77 degrees. I have a heater in there and I wish it would heat it up a bit more, but I think the type of heater I have tries to keep it around 78 and I can't adjust it to be higher. The pH is around 7.

 

If you keep trying and don't see results. I tried fishless for 8 weeks. Then I lost patience and bought TSS+ and a fish and slowly built my stocking.
Idk if that's frowned upon but it worked for me and lots of ppl cycle using TSS+.

 

Keep doing what you are doing, and give it at least another week before expecting anything significant to happen. Once your ammonia drops to 0, you'll know you've hit a milestone. Then keep an eye on your nitrites and wait for them to drop...
It's only been a week, so don't get discouraged! It's a long process, but when it all comes together, your fish will be better off.

 

A follow up on the good info Algonquin posted. When your ammonia drops to zero and you start seeing nitrites be sure to add more ammonia. You want to keep your growing bacteria fed.

You are very early in the cycling process. It will take time and patience.

 

So this is my first time cycling a tank and I've tried really hard to read up on how to cycle a tank but there's such conflicting information on how to do it. So I have a 5 gallon tank with a sponge filter and for the last week I have started a fishless cycle using Dr. Tim's ammonia. Every day I check the ammonia levels and try to keep the level at about 2 ppm. Some days this level will go down and then I will put a couple drops of ammonia in the tank to bring it back up to 2 ppm, and some days it stays at 2 ppm so I don't put in any ammonia. Today I tested for nitrites and there's none. I know that not every cycle takes the same amount of time, but I feel like I must be doing something wrong. I thought there should be nitrites by now. Am I doing something wrong? I'm worried I've bought all of this stuff for my tank just to unsuccessfully cycle and not be able to buy a fish...feels like I'm wasting money on a hobby that might never even work. Please help.

You have been receiving some very good advice. So I won’t add to what has already been said. My only question is....
Since you have a liquid ammonia test kit, what are you using to test the rest?
I know when I set my tank up, the LPS steered me away from a master liquid test kit because of the cost. So I bought a liquid ammonia test kit and testing strips for the other water parameters. 2 days later I bought the API master test kit.

 

You have been receiving some very good advice. So I won’t add to what has already been said. My only question is....
Since you have a liquid ammonia test kit, what are you using to test the rest?
I know when I set my tank up, the LPS steered me away from a master liquid test kit because of the cost. So I bought a liquid ammonia test kit and testing strips for the other water parameters. 2 days later I bought the API master test kit.

I’m using test strips for the rest of the parameters. I was turned off by the price of the master kit.

 

I’m using test strips for the rest of the parameters. I was turned off by the price of the master kit.

I understand the price. Amazon has it way cheaper. The strips aren’t always accurate.
Your still in the early stage of cycling, but once your ready to start testing nitrite and nitrate. The strip color is so close and hard to distinguish. Plus the strips don’t register until much higher levels.



Sorry just an additional note. Since I’m new as well.
I’ve been cycling with fish for 2 months now. I am at 5 nitrates. So I know I am building beneficial bacteria and everything is going smooth. If I was still using strips, I would still be showing 0 nitrates.I would be frustrated thinking the cycle isn’t working. Especially since it would probably take to 40ppm nitrates on the strip for me to see them.

 

I’m using test strips for the rest of the parameters. I was turned off by the price of the master kit.

The API kit does seem a bit pricy but in the long run it really isn't when you think about how many tests you can run with it. I am still using the one I bought almost 4 yeas ago. The only one I have run out of is the one for testing nitrates. It cost me $10.00 to just get another nitrate testing kit so $25.00 for the full kit doesn't sound out of line to me.

The problem with test strips is they start degrading as soon as they are opened the first time. They work by dipping in water. Moisture in the air can cause them to be less reliable over time.

 

I’m using test strips for the rest of the parameters. I was turned off by the price of the master kit.

I think that if you calculate the price per test you will find that the API Master test kit (that does 160 complete sets of tests) is less expensive than any strips plus the liquid ammonia test you are using. I already did the calculations against two other Master test kits and 5 different brands of test strips.

 

Don't take this as me being harsh, I'm not. The price of the API test kit is worth it and you might as well plan on spending the money. This will be one of the lesser expenses you experience in this hobby, you could be in the wrong hobby if not willing to spend 30.00.. Often times a smaller tank can be more finachy then a larger tank. If you are chasing bad readings from test strips you will spin your wheels and never get anywhere. They are just not that accurate and you will constantly be messing with the tank.