Is this possible??

[holbritter]

If it is, I'm excited!

I set up my 15gal tank on 3/23. I used 1 1/2 handful of ceramic rings from my established 40 gal. (fake plants, sand substrate)
I started adding ammonia on 3/26, to read 5
3/27 - ammon - off charts 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate, 8.0 ph
3/28 - the same
3/30 - the same
Finally got my heater and put it in on 3/30. Temp set at 79

3/31 - ammon - still of chart, 1 nitrite, 5 nitrate, ph 8.0 temp 79

Is it possible that this tank is starting to cycle already??
I mean....yeah!!! if it is, but if not, what's going on?

[Abbeys_Mom]

If your tank was seeded and is heated, then yes, I would say your cycle has started.:19:

[cocoa_pleco]

sounds like it!

[Lady Hobbs]

Yup. But make sure you keep adding the ammonia daily. Since you're starting to show nitrites, add enough to bring tester to 3. That is......if you are using the fishless cycle!

[holbritter]

Yahoo!!

About adding the ammonia.....should I let it get down to 3, then maintain it?
Right now it's still off the charts.

Thanks for the quick answers guys...really appreciate it!:luxlove:

Yes - fishless cycle

[Lady Hobbs]

yes.....sounds as a fast cycle for you

[holbritter]

Great!! Thanks again :)

[holbritter]

Hmmm...I tested today (2days later) and the ammonia hasn't gone down any, still off the charts. The nitrites have gone up to 5.
The nitrAtes are ar 40!

Do I do anything about the nitrates?? Or just let everything be and wait?
Sorry, but I never had the nitrate thing happen before, so I'm not sure if something is wrong.

[Lady Hobbs]

I don't know about you girl. You and that darned ammonia. LOL

When you started, how much ammonia did you put in your tank? If you put it to 5. on your tester, it should have gone down for you as nitrites started going up. Changes can happen rather quickly so give it a few more days.

When I knew my tank was finished, I could add ammonia in the morning and by the next morning I was getting 0 again. It sounds almost like too much ammonia went into the tank and the bacteria is still trying to catch up to it.

[holbritter]

I don't know about you girl. You and that darned ammonia. LOL


You got that right!! Ok, I'll give it a couple more days for it to go down. Will the nitrates go down as well?