How often to check water parameters.

[tate8]

I am on day 12 of my fishless cycle. I have been dosing 1/2 the original amount of ammonia ever since my ammonia dropped to zero. Should I test my ammonia, nitrites and nitrates daily? Also, every day my ammonia level has been dropping to zero but today it was at around 1 ppm. Is that normal? I still dosed the same anyway.

[Cliff]

Test every day. If you ammonia is at 0, then dose.

[tate8]

I tested again today and the ammonia level hasn't changed. Is it normal for it to drop to zero for a few days and then slow down all of a sudden?

[tate8]

Anyone? Anyone?

[Cliff]

It's hard to tell without any additional information

What have your nitrite and nitrate levels been doing ?

Have changed anything else in the tank ?

When you added the extra bio-max to your filter, did you remove any of the exsisting filter media or clean the filter ?

[tate8]

Ammonia is about 3 ppm. Nitrite levels are off the chart. Nitrates are about 10ppm. I rinsed the new biomax bags on put them on top of the old. I did nothing to the old bags. My water appears cloudy. I assume it is a bacterial bloom.

[Cliff]

As you nitrites are off the charts, do not increase your ammonia past 1 or 2ppm (never higher than 2ppm). To high of a ammonia level during the phase were the nitrite eating bacteria needs to grow can slow down things a little.

Just leave it be for now, keep testing every day, and only bring your ammonia back up to a little over 1ppm once it hits 0 ppm.

This stage of your cycle can also be the longest at the nitrite eating bacteria grows slower than the ammonia eating bacteria

[tate8]

As you nitrites are off the charts, do not increase your ammonia past 1 or 2ppm (never higher than 2ppm). To high of a ammonia level during the phase were the nitrite eating bacteria needs to grow can slow down things a little.

Just leave it be for now, keep testing every day, and only bring your ammonia back up to a little over 1ppm once it hits 0 ppm.

This stage of your cycle can also be the longest at the nitrite eating bacteria grows slower than the ammonia eating bacteria

Thanks. I didn't add any tonight. I'll check again tomorrow and keep it below 2ppm.