Where Am I?

[s72450]

Friday I brought home some used filter media from the tanks we have at work to begin the cycle on my 55 gallon. Today I checked my levels and it came back as follows.

Ammonia - 1.0
Nitrites - 5
Nitrates - 10

Anyone want to guess what stage I'm at in the cycle? What sort of time I have left? Thanks!

[PostalPenguin]

If you have established filter media you are likely near the end. The reason you aren't at 0 for the ammonia and nitrites is probably the bacteria just growing to handle the bioload. I'd suspect that in a few days you'll be at 0.

[s72450]

I'm curious if I should add more ammonia tonight.

[Wild Turkey]

If you are fishlessing you want to be maintaining 2-3ppm right now. so Yes, add the ammonia tonight and do it everyday until the day before you add fish (after you have 0/0/some for a few days

[s72450]

Thanks! I'll add some.

[s72450]

Today it reads

Ammonia - 2
Nitrite - 5
Nitrate - 5

Should my Nitrates be going lower like that?

[Ramdin]

Is algae growing??? Nitrates may lower if you are growing algae

[s72450]

I don't see any algae.

[Sharon]

It's likely just a discrepancy in the test...

[s72450]

Just tested again with the following results.

Ammonia - 1.0
Nitrite - 2.0
Nitrate - 5.0

Does this sound any better?

[s72450]

Tested just now with the following results..

Ammonia - 0.25
Nitrite - 2.0
Nirtrate - 5.0

I added another teaspoon of ammonia since it seems to be eating it up, but is there anything else I should do? I've noticed that the Nitrate readings seem to be the same the past few days, not gaining or lessening.