Ammonia Dropping but 0 Nitrites

**bethyMT** · 11-24-2012, 11:03 PM

Have you done a trate check lately? Sometimes both types of bacteria (ammonia eaters and nitrite eaters) develop simultaneously instead of serially. It's not likely, but it's worth a look.

If your nitrates have increased, you are cycling. If not, don't worry. It'll happen. Cycling really challenges your patience and your self-confidence. I think all of us on here know that!

**CrackFox** · 11-24-2012, 11:09 PM

Originally Posted by bethyMT

Have you done a trate check lately? Sometimes both types of bacteria (ammonia eaters and nitrite eaters) develop simultaneously instead of serially. It's not likely, but it's worth a look.

If your nitrates have increased, you are cycling. If not, don't worry. It'll happen. Cycling really challenges your patience and your self-confidence. I think all of us on here know that!

Not for about 4 days. I was using test strips before and they always gave me a reading of 0 Nitrate. I ran out of those and decided to replace them with a more reliable, liquid test kit. It hasn't arrived yet, hopefully it'll get here by Monday. I know, waiting isn't so hard anymore since i've lost a lot of my original enthusiasm. I need to see some nitrites to cheer me up, or nitrates would be good too

**bethyMT** · 11-24-2012, 11:34 PM

Ah, cycling. The ultimate enthusiasm-killer. But it'll be wonderful when it's done! You'll find the enthusiasm will come back quickly.

I don't trust those test strips at all. The liquid test kit will hopefully give you some good answers.

**CrackFox** · 11-25-2012, 06:58 PM

Originally Posted by bethyMT

Ah, cycling. The ultimate enthusiasm-killer. But it'll be wonderful when it's done! You'll find the enthusiasm will come back quickly.

I don't trust those test strips at all. The liquid test kit will hopefully give you some good answers.

I was so confident, almost cocky in the beginning

A little update. Checked ammonia and nitrite levels again today.

Ammonia: 0.5
Nitrite: 0

The ammonia reading was 2ppm yesterday so once again it's dropped significantly overnight. This is the second time the tank has been dosed. The first time took about a week and a bit to get the ammonia back to zero. I added the second dose of ammonia about 2 days ago and that brought the tank upto about 3ppm, so two days later it's fallen to 0.5ppm. That's a big drop but still no sign of Nitrites.

Haven't checked nitrates levels for 5 days now. Waiting on the test kit to arrive in the post.

**bethyMT** · 11-26-2012, 06:41 PM

You will probably find nitrates when you test. You're coming along nicely.

At two doses of ammonia. and about two weeks, I've got nitrites off the chart. Eventually they'll be there in a big way.

**CrackFox** · 11-26-2012, 11:24 PM

Originally Posted by bethyMT

You will probably find nitrates when you test. You're coming along nicely.

At two doses of ammonia. and about two weeks, I've got nitrites off the chart. Eventually they'll be there in a big way.

Thanks for the encouragement

Ammonia levels, the same as yesterday 0.5ppm

Still no nitrite reading but i'm feeling optimistic for some reason :b

**jeffs99dime** · 11-26-2012, 11:37 PM

As quickly as the nitrites appear one day, It's even quicker when they disappear. You are doing fine.

**CrackFox** · 11-28-2012, 12:37 PM

Day 16. Checked ammonia, it's now at 0.25ppm. Checked nitrite, it measured 0 as usual, and today I got my nitrate test through the post, did that, followed the instructions and got another reading of 0.

Surely I should be seeing nitrite or nitrate by now? I'm starting to think the cycle is corrupt. This is a list of the interference I've done with the water:

1. Add nurafin cycle (a little dose each day for three days at the very beginning)

2.Added fish flakes once a day for about 1-2 weeks.

3.Done 2 50% water changes (due to overdosing ammonia)

That's everything. My temp is up high and I have lots of bubbles being produced from the waterfall.