Planted tank cycle

I have a recently set up planted tank and have a question about how the cycle works in a planted tank. I am fully aware of how the nitrogen cycle works, but need help on my first planted tank. I set the tank up with media I had in a filter from my cycled tank that has been in there for about a month. After a couple of days I noticed .25 ppm of ammonia. I left the ammonia in the tank since it was not at a dangerous level, and I was going to do a water change if it got up to .5 ppm. The next day there was 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 5-10 nitrates (my tap water has 10 nitrates). My question is: is my tank not cycled since the plants absorb the ammonia and not the bacteria.

 

If your nitrates increase the bacteria is converting the ammonia. If the ammonia simply disappears it's possible that it is the plants. However in my experience the plants absorb more nitrates than ammonia, so it's really kind of hard to tell if it is the plants or the bacteria lowering your levels. The presence of nitrites is a sure indication your aquarium is starting to cycle, but again your plants could in theory decrease those levels. Do you have fast growing plants? If not, they probably aren't taking much, especially if your tap water already has 10 nitrates and they haven't been absorbed

 

Does the tank have fish in it yet?

 

.5ppm of ammonia is nothing to worry about if you don’t have fish in the tank. Water changes aren’t really necessary in a fishless cycle.
If you have fast growing plants, sometimes cycling a planted tank can be tricky. If you continue to see no ammonia/ nitrites and your plants are growing, that means you are headed in the right direction. This is what happened when I cycled my planted tank.
You can slowly add fish if you don’t have ammonia/nitrite for a handful of days.

 

Seeing you said it’s a recently set up tank how long ago exactly? Also be sure to test tour source water so it doesn’t fool your test and u .

 

The tank has been set up for about 2 weeks and I have 2 adult guppies and 8 baby guppies. I have anacharis, frogbit, Java moss and mint charley in the tank. I saw the ammonia when I added the fish, but it went away overnight. The anacharis has been growing like crazy so maybe it’s absorbing th ammonia. I’m just worried that if the plants are absorbing the ammonia then my tank is not fully cycled.

 

If it's only been two weeks it's probably not completely done cycling but it sounds like it is well on its way. As mentioned, once our levels stay down consistently your aquarium should be done cycling and you can slowly start adding fish

 

Knowing whether or not your tank is cycled may be important but as long as you are seeing no ammonia or nitrites I wouldn't worry about it. A cycled tank will have neither but if your plants are using all the ammonia they are doing what a cycle would.

 

I would agree with mattgirl , I wouldn't worry too much about which component is absorbing the ammonia and nitrite.

If the plants start to fail, then I would just monitor the levels in case it was the plants using the ammonia/nitrites, just to make sure the bacteria is picking up the proverbial slack.

 

If there's something in your tank that's getting rid of all the ammonia and nitrites, does it matter whether it's a BB colony or plants? The same desirable end state has been achieved either way.

 

Ok thank you all. I will continue monitor it and make sure there is not ammonia or nitrite in the tank