One Cycle Finished Other Is Mid Cycle

I did a 70-75% water change on Friday to my 20 gallon and I tested on Sunday I had 20 nitrate and .25 nitrite. I just finished testing and my nitrite is finally at zero and my nitrates are 10-15. Now on the other hand my 10 gallon is a little out of control. I’ve been adding 2mL of pure ammonia this whole week and I did it previously but I stopped due to not having time to take care of the 10g. I just tested it and my ammonia is off the charts and my nitrites are 2. Should I lower to 1mL of ammonia ?

 

Stop adding ammonia if off the charts. It is REALLY high? If so, do a water change to get ammonia to 5ppm.

Edit.
Alternatively, if your other tank is cycled, you can add your fish there and make sure it is stable and add your media from the 10G to it. Build up the BB in there and move it (your 10G media) to a fresh new water 10G. In theory the 10G will be cycled immediately like a QT tank.

 

Stop adding ammonia if off the charts. It is REALLY high? If so, do a water change to get ammonia to 5ppm.

Edit.
Alternatively, if your other tank is cycled, you can add your fish there and make sure it is stable and add your media from the 10G to it. Build up the BB in there and move it (your 10G media) to a fresh new water 10G. In theory the 10G will be cycled immediately like a QT tank.

When do you think I could add fish to the 20?

 

When do you think I could add fish to the 20?

When you can add 2ppm of ammonia and 24 hours later you are 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and some nitrate.

 

When you can add 2ppm of ammonia and 24 hours later you are 0 ammonia 0 nitrite and some nitrate.

I guess I didn’t say this but I did a fish in cycle. So I don’t know how many days I should wait before adding fish

 

I guess I didn’t say this but I did a fish in cycle. So I don’t know how many days I should wait before adding fish

What is your ammonia on the 20g?

 

What is your ammonia on the 20g?

0 it’s been that way for a week or two I’ve just been waiting for nitrite and nitrate to drop

 

0 it’s been that way for a week or two I’ve just been waiting for nitrite and nitrate to drop

Unless you have this tank heavily planted you will have to do water changes to get the nitrates down. The tank should have grown the bacteria to eat the ammonia and then grown the bacteria to eat the nitrites but under normal circumstances there isn't a bacteria to eat the nitrates. That is one of the main reasons water changes are necessary.

If you have been registering zero ammonia and zero nitrites for at least a week I would think you could start slowly adding the rest of the fish you want to add to finish stocking the tank.

 

Unless you have this tank heavily planted you will have to do water changes to get the nitrates down. The tank should have grown the bacteria to eat the ammonia and then grown the bacteria to eat the nitrites but under normal circumstances there isn't a bacteria to eat the nitrates. That is one of the main reasons water changes are necessary.

If you have been registering zero ammonia and zero nitrites for at least a week I would think you could start slowly adding the rest of the fish you want to add to finish stocking the tank.

So you think I should wait until the weekend ?

 

So you think I should wait until the weekend ?

It is best to make sure the cycle is stable before adding more to the bio-load. A full week of stable numbers should do it.