# WTH with this cycle?!!



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Ok, so it appears as though I have my ammonia at 0 or darn close to it. My Nitrates are in the realm of normal. My nitrites however, won't drop below .25 I even did a base line comparison w/ my tap with the nitrates and nitrites to see how they compared. (Oddly enough, my tap has the same nitrates as the tank is that typical?) 

I'll even illustrate:








Nitrates, tank right tap left









Nitrites, Tank right, tap left

Ammonia: Looks pretty yeller to me










All 3 from tank:


----------



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Thoughts and opinions? How can I get this freakin cycle completed grr


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Hardest part is patience. If the ammonia is zero and nitrite is that low....you're .25 away from being complete. No magical process to make it go any quicker - it's nature, and nature works on its own time schedule. I would say WC, but there is not a need. Better to let it go away on its own.


----------



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Oh so this is normal then. phew. I thought i was doing somethin wrong, it just seems like it just wont drop the rest of the way lol I'm being patient. Well...as much as I can  Thanks


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

The presence of ntrites can last longer than the presence of ammonia during the cycle. What level did it get to when it was its highest?


----------



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

around 5ppm


----------



## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

It looks like the tap nitrites are higher than the tank. Is that right, or did you switch it accidentally?


----------



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

The tap looks just slightly lighter than the tank to me.


----------



## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

Right, I'm a dork and forgot my lefts and rights.

Everything looks good. Cycles take time to establish, so patience is a must.

My nitrates are around 30 ppm out of the tap as well. Plants will solve that problem for you


----------



## holly12 (Apr 21, 2011)

You are almost there! Woo-hoo! Nitrites usually take the longest to drop. Like Ben said, you could do a pwc or just wait it out.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

holly12 said:


> Like Ben said, you could do a pwc or just wait it out.


I said, no need. Better to let it finish on its own since it did start to disappear on its own.


----------



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

I'm hangin in there guys. I would totally go get some plants this weekend, but I've been told that they won't grow with the light that I have because it's just a stock light?


----------



## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

It's a bit of a myth that you need lots of fancy stuff to grow plants. The thing is you can't just grow any plants with low light. But if you choose carefully you can get a least a few that will work. Java moss, java fern, anubias and marimo balls cope with very low light and need no special substrate. They will grow slowly but can be healthy and you can have a nice looking tank.

What kind of light does your tank have? Is it a fluorescent tube, or a bulb? And how many watts?


----------



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

17w flourescant tube


----------



## majerah1 (Oct 29, 2010)

Like was mentioned some plants will grow ok for now,you just have to hunt.


----------



## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

you might find this interesting:PG: Setting up your first planted tank - PlantGeek.net


----------



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

Snail, thanks! That cleared up a lot for me!


----------



## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

awesome! thanks!


----------

