Tank finally cycled!?!??

I’ve been doing a fishless cycle since 04/19/20. I had my nitrite spike and ammonia drop about 10 days later. I’ve been dosing ammonia to 2ppm every 48 hours, it consistently drops. My nitrites have tested consistently over 5ppm and this morning I tested 0.25 nitrites and 0 ammonia!!!! I THINK MY TANK IS ALMOST CYCLED!!!!!!!!
I dosed my tank up to 4ppm ammonia today at 7am... I’m super excited to see results after I get home from work!!!!! Any additional advice is always welcome

 

Congrats!! It sounds like you're almost there!

 

I’ve been doing a fishless cycle since 04/19/20. I had my nitrite spike and ammonia drop about 10 days later. I’ve been dosing ammonia to 2ppm every 48 hours, it consistently drops. My nitrites have tested consistently over 5ppm and this morning I tested 0.25 nitrites and 0 ammonia!!!! I THINK MY TANK IS ALMOST CYCLED!!!!!!!!
I dosed my tank up to 4ppm ammonia today at 7am... I’m super excited to see results after I get home from work!!!!! Any additional advice is always welcome

Since you added more than the normal amount of ammonia (higher bio-load) don't be disappointed if you see the nitrites a bit higher than they were this morning. Don't despair though. The nitrite eating bacteria will catch up with the higher bio-load fairly quick and will drop back down. Now you want to see 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites within 24 hours of adding ammonia and your nitrates going up.

I think you are right, Your cycle is very close to done

 

So excited to see what you put in that gorgeous tank!!

 

Since you added more than the normal amount of ammonia (higher bio-load) don't be disappointed if you see the nitrites a bit higher than they were this morning. Don't despair though. The nitrite eating bacteria will catch up with the higher bio-load fairly quick and will drop back down. Now you want to see 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites within 24 hours of adding ammonia and your nitrates going up.

I think you are right, Your cycle is very close to done

Yep that’s what I was thinking. I did that on purpose because I want to slightly overstock my tank (don’t want a tank boss). I know it might be overkill, I’m hoping I’ll get to a point where It can process 4ppm of ammonia in 24hrs

 

Yep that’s what I was thinking. I did that on purpose because I want to slightly overstock my tank (don’t want a tank boss). I know it might be overkill, I’m hoping I’ll get to a point where It can process 4ppm of ammonia in 24hrs

This is a very good plan. When it comes to bacteria the more the better.

 

Right on! I started cycling my tank 2 days after you, but I hit snags in mine (my own accidental doing). Glad to see someone who started cycling around when I did having success.

 

Right on! I started cycling my tank 2 days after you, but I hit snags in mine (my own accidental doing). Glad to see someone who started cycling around when I did having success.

Oh awesome man! Hang in there! It’s the most frustratingly long process I’ve ever dealt with!! I’m so impatient hahaha

 

It’s the most frustratingly long process I’ve ever dealt with!! I’m so impatient hahaha

No kidding! I've been getting so irritated with this process, full of stress and impatience. I have to keep reminding myself that the patience is going to be worth it. Lol.

 

Crazy.

I started my cycle on 4/16. After 5 weeks, I'm at 0 Ammonia, 5 Nitrates, and 1 Nitrites.

I'm hopefully almost there as well. I'm going to add a plant in the next day or two to hopefully speed up the process.

 

I tested and as expected I had around 1ppm ammonia and about 4ppm nitrites. Took the entire 5 minutes to show the colour. PROGRESS!!! Thanks mattgirl for the wonderful advice!!!

 

I tested and as expected I had around 1ppm ammonia and about 4ppm nitrites. Took the entire 5 minutes to show the colour. PROGRESS!!! Thanks mattgirl for the wonderful advice!!!

You are so very welcome. This isn't really a set back. What you are doing is actually a very good thing. Growing more bacteria than you think you will need will prevent a mini-cycle once fish are put in here. Much better to have these spikes while no lives are in danger. If we were talking about a 5 or 10 gallon tank getting it up to processing 4ppm ammonia would be over kill since we couldn't put enough fish in tanks that size to produce this much ammonia but for a 40 gallon 4ppm sounds just about right.

 

Crazy.

I started my cycle on 4/16. After 5 weeks, I'm at 0 Ammonia, 5 Nitrates, and 1 Nitrites.

I'm hopefully almost there as well. I'm going to add a plant in the next day or two to hopefully speed up the process.

I swear. The day you see nitrites drop is like Christmas morning!!

 

Beneficial bacteria colony will only be big enough to eat the ammonia that was supplied. So just be aware that if your bioload is larger than the BB can handle you will go into cycle again.

 

So 24hrs later my tank has processed 4ppm ammonia into nitrAtes testing at 40ppm. WOOOT! I’m going to dose back up to 4ppm. Fish are arriving this Saturday

 

So 24hrs later my tank has processed 4ppm ammonia into nitrAtes testing at 40ppm. WOOOT! I’m going to dose back up to 4ppm. Fish are arriving this Saturday

Which fish did you decide on?

So excited for you, I'm living my cichlid dream through you.

 

Which fish did you decide on?

So excited for you, I'm living my cichlid dream through you.

Lemon Jake peacock x5
Electric Yellow x5
Maiangano x5
Cherry red zebra x4
Petriclola Cat Fish x1

 

UPDATE!! My fish arrived a day early (Friday) so I rushed home from work when I got the fedex notification! Luckily I have an understanding boss who loves me! It was tricky as I had dosed my tank to 4ppm ammonia that morning .. so I did a 90% water change. I then tested a slight amount of ammonia at 1ppm and nitrates around 2ppm which had me a little concerned. I used prime to detoxify things a bit. Fish arrived - all perfect and beautiful. NO DOA’s either! Added them and they all seem good so far. The next few days I’ve been consistently testing 0ppm ammonia/nitrites and nitrAtes are testing 5ppm. PH is stable at 8.2 temp at 78. Fish are vibrant and colorful!! I’m super happy and can’t stop staring at my tank !! haha !
Side note - the company refunded me the shipping costs and additional I paid for a Sat delivery. So all is right in the universe!

correction ^^ nitrites

 

YAY!!!!! Thank you for this update. Looking forward to more of them and more photos too