Slow Beneficial Bacteria?

I set up a new 37 gallon tank a week ago and have been cycling it since. I used an old Fluvel filter sponge from another tank of mine, have used about 3 bottles of Tetra Safe Start now, and am keeping the conditions perfect for the bacteria to grow, but my ammonia levels take forever to drop even slightly. I'm feeding the bacteria with pure ammonia from the hardware store but I think I added too much and stalled the cycle in the beginning, so I did a water change and added more TSS. Basically, it takes about 2-3 days for my ammonia levels to drop even 1 ppm. It was stuck at 4 ppm for days and finally dropped to 2 ppm and is now stuck there. Nitrate are consistently 10-20 ppm. No nitrites with the TSS. I'm worried at this point it'll never be able to handle 2 ppm within 12-24 hours. Is it normal for the ammonia to drop so slowly over a few days or am I just being too impatient?

 

What's the temperature and ph of the tank?

 

Have you tested the parameters of your source water?

What temp is the tank at?

Using a cycled sponge is the best way to jump start the new cycle! What filter are you using?

A week into a new cycle is still very early though

 

I've got the temperature set to 83 degrees F so it's nice and warm, I have a HOB Fluval filter that is running at highest flow to provide oxygenation, and pH is well above 7 - almost into the 8's. I just added two small amazon sword plants too. I know it's pretty early into the cycle, I'm just worried given that I'm using a seeded filter sponge and so much tetra safe start and it's still going so slowly. Maybe I've just got really lazy bacteria lol

 

Temp is great as is your ph. With seeded filter media its usually pretty quick till the amount of bacteria catches.

 

Here's hoping!

 

if your tap has 0 nitrates, then the cycle is progressing.

 

Impatient I’d say tbh