10 Gallon Tank Low nitrate during stalled fishless cycle process

Hi alls, hope to get an answer for my new tank. First off, it is a 10 gallon, with some plants that cover roughly all the tank (I got 5 different kinds of plant, each has around 2, 3 stems).
I have been cycling my tank since 4/9, started with some frozen shrimp and got my nitrite to 0.25 and nitrate to 15. Long story short, decided to remove the shrimp cause it was molding and smell really bad. Nitrate reduced to 5 since I removed the shrimp.

I since bought a bottle of pure ammonia and started dosing half the amount of instruction to get my ammonia to 2ppm. However, due to my old API test kit for some reasons got damaged, I got my ammonia test result read incorrectly. It showed ammonia at 0.5 after 1st dose so I (stupidly T_T) continued to dose the other half of the amount from instruction, yet it still showed 0.5 for a few days. I then bought a new test kit and it showed ammonia at 8ppm. Got freaked out and did 75% WC to save my plants (10% of the plants was burnt and got removed). I feel that my cycle was stalled at that point.

Regarding nitrite, on the same day that I dosed ammonia, I added full dose (4oz) of Fritz Zyme7 (nitrifying bacteria) and keep adding zyme7 every day with less amount (1/3 dose). Since that accident, I got my ammonia drop to 4ppm, and I've stopped dosing ammonia since that 2 doses. Here is my recent tests (PH is always at 7.6):

4/17: Ammo 8, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5 (75% WC)
4/18: 4, 0, ~3 (full dose of zyme7)
4/19: 4, 0, ~3 (1/3 dose of zyme7)
4/20: 4, 0, ~3 (1/3 dose of zyme7)
4/21: 4, 0.25, 5 (1/3 dose of zyme7)
4/22: 4, 0.5, 5 (1/3 dose of zyme7)
4/23: 3, 1, 5 toppped up some water (1/3 dose of zyme7)
4/24: 2, 0.75, 5 (1/2 dose of zyme7)

My concern is, I have seen my nitrite going up, but my nitrate has been at 5 for a few days now. Is that because my tank is heavily planted so they are consuming all of my nitrate? I do see my plants growing with new leaves, longer root.

Currently I am waiting for both my Ammonia and Nitrite to be close to 0 to add another dose of ammonia (just to get it to approx 2ppm) and keep testing to see how nitrite do. I'm just worried that if I keep both my ammonia and nitrite close to 0, my nitrate is gonna decrease too as it's only at 5 now. Do you guys have any ideas? Appreciate you all.

Update:
Alright, with the help of some members which I really appreciate, I think I kinda have an answer for my question. Turned out I've been setting up a planted fishless cycling tank and the plants have been consuming my NH3, nitrite, nitrate (which causes my nitrate level staying low). I will focus more on monitoring the plants for the next few weeks. And till I see my NH3 and nitrite drop to 0, I will try adding 2ppm of NH3 to test the tank before adding a betta.

Here is the pic of the poor tank:

 

a planted tank will take your nitrate, nitrites, or even ammonia as a nitrogen source, they aren't picky and will take whatever form is available for nitrogen.

Look, cycling takes about a month, the bacteria boosters might speed it along, but it might not, you just have to be patient.
there's many ways to cycle an aquarium. but it all takes like 30 days for your nitrifying bacteria to multiply out and be a stable colony.

In my opinion Put it at 2ppm, let it ride until it's at 1ppm, do a water change to remove acids in the water from the nitrification process, so you pH stays stable and doesn't lower, then put it back to 2ppm and let it ride some more until it's 1ppm again. Don't pass the 2 ppm ammonia, and only go below the 1ppm for the water change between redosing so it maintains a steady 1-2ppm.
Now, when you can dose the the tank to 2ppm ammonia and comeback 24 hours later and it's gone and only nitrates are left from it, it's ready for the last water change and good to go.

is it really necessary though? Probably not. Not with so much plants. You could probably just water change out the ammonia you put and start with one small fish with all those plants and in a week add one more, and in another week add one more. and it will just colonize for your stocking as you go while the plants will use the ammonia, nitrites or nitrates as they appear keeping it safe for the fish, and in about a month, it will just be nitrates and no ammonia, then just add a fish here or there with pauses if you see ammonia to let the colony catch up, or if the nitrates become more than you need, in which place you add more plant and stop adding fish until you get the balance you want with minimal excess nitrates, yet enough nitrates for the plants.

 

Hi,

Great little tank.

Planted tanks create their own bacteria community. Adding 2ppm ammonia and zombie bacteria works counterproductive.

Let your planted tank mature for 4 weeks under dim lights. If plants are healthy (show some growth, but more importantly, look very green), it is ready for a few fish or shrimp.

 

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In my opinion Put it at 2ppm, let it ride until it's at 1ppm, do a water change to remove acids in the water from the nitrification process, so you pH stays stable and doesn't lower, then put it back to 2ppm and let it ride some more until it's 1ppm again. Don't pass the 2 ppm ammonia, and only go below the 1ppm for the water change between redosing so it maintains a steady 1-2ppm.
Now, when you can dose the the tank to 2ppm ammonia and comeback 24 hours later and it's gone and only nitrates are left from it, it's ready for the last water change and good to go.

is it really necessary though? Probably not. Not with so much plants. You could probably just water change out the ammonia you put and start with one small fish with all those plants and in a week add one more, and in another week add one more. and it will just colonize for your stocking as you go while the plants will use the ammonia, nitrites or nitrates as they appear keeping it safe for the fish, and in about a month, it will just be nitrates and no ammonia, then just add a fish here or there with pauses if you see ammonia to let the colony catch up, or if the nitrates become more than you need, in which place you add more plant and stop adding fish until you get the balance you want with minimal excess nitrates, yet enough nitrates for the plants.

Hey thanks for your reply, I really appreciate your help. I will try to keep ammonia at 1-2ppm and keep monitoring nitrite & nitrate.
I plan to have just 1 betta in this tank so don't think I can add fish to help with the cycle process +_+.

Hi,

Great little tank.

Planted tanks create their own bacteria community. Adding 2ppm ammonia and zombie bacteria works counterproductive.

Let your planted tank mature for 4 weeks under dim lights. If plants are healthy (show some growth, but more importantly, look very green), it is ready for a few fish or shrimp.

Thanks a lot for your input. I quite don't get this part: "Adding 2ppm ammonia and zombie bacteria works counterproductive". Does that mean I should not dosing anything from now on and just wait for the plants to grow bigger? Maybe do some tests every few days to monitor things only?

 

"Adding 2ppm ammonia and zombie bacteria works counterproductive". Does that mean I should not dosing anything from now on and just wait for the plants to grow bigger? Maybe do some tests every few days to monitor things only?

Biological systems, such as plants, produce ammonia, continuously. If not, you and I would not be having this conversation.

Because of this, bacteria start colonising your tank instantly. The exact species depends on the conditions of your tank, such as ammonia concentration, water parameters, plant density. This is becoming clear in recent years due to advances in genetic research.

The ammonia production and bacteria colonization is very most likely going on below or within the error margin of test kits.

But then people say "I have no cycle" or "my cycle is stalled", simply because the test kits are not sensitive enough. And plants consume ammonia also, of course.

So the industry tell us to dose a lot of ammonia in order for test kits to work. This has detrimental consequences for the bacteria species that are already colonizing your tank and living in symbiosis with your plants. It's like feeding a baby milk with a fire hose.

The created sewer attracts new bacteria species. These new species might be accompanied by zombie bacteria sold by the industry. These zombie bacteria probably do absolutely nothing and become part of the sewer. Luckily, the newly attracted bacteria will camouflage this.

These bacteria do their cycling which shows up on test readings. When only nitrates show up on readings, the tank is said to be cycled, and the artificial dosing of ammonia stops. Long story short, this once again changes the equilibrium, favouring the old bacteria species or similar.

Anyways, if this story doesn't resonate, simply forget about it, and continue with test kits and dosing ammonia and bacteria. Most people on this forum follow this approach and they are not killing their fish either.