Tank Cycle Confusion
 

17 gallon Cube Barebottom

Hello everyone, i started my cycle 4 weeks ago, using Dr.Tims one and only nitrifying bacteria with his ammonium chloride...week 1 i had Ammonia 5ppm
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

Week 2
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 5ppm
Nitrate 5

Added 3ppm ammonia
Week 3
Ammonia 0ppm
Nitrite 5ppm
Nitrate 20ppm

Week 4 I added Aquaforest Bio S since dr.tims was not working maybe defective because of the weather.

Added 1 drop per day
Week 4 day 4 =
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

So obviously Aquaforest did something but how can Nitrate be 0? I checked with Api and salifert test kit. Nitrate is suppose to be even higher if Nitrite converted into Nitrate????

You may have pushed the cycle through quickly. Wait another week and test every other day to confirm.

Should i add like 2ppm ammonia to see if it cycles it?

Yep. I would. A few times. Just in case one test is off. But my guess is you're good to go. The "crew" will be fine, and you can start your QT of your first fish and coral. You started right. Don't go adding ich now and have to be fallow for 3 months !!!!!

Doesnt matter im only keeping 2 clowns lol

Added 2ppm ammonia last night. This morning i have 0.25 ammonia .25 nitrite 5ppm nitrate. I did not add aquaforest today though

Are you using a API test kit? If so, you will get a false eating for ammonia. At the 24 hour mark, test again and see if the nitrites are gone. If so, you are cycled.

I remember when I said I was only keeping 2 clowns

17 gallon rimless cube
I only want 2 clowns i had a 100 gallon reef before lol now im into nanos

I have api and salifert they both say the same

You do not get accurate nitrate readings when nitrite is present. Once the ammonia and nitrites drop back to zero (it should be tomorrow) your cycle is complete.

It was already 0 yesterday then i added ammonia 2ppm and wasnt 0 today

Quit adding ammonia, your cycle is complete if the nitrite also is zero. Adding more ammonia will only raise your nitrates, the bacteria does not need to be fed.

If its comple why when i added 2ppm it dodnt cycle through im 24hrs? What i did do tho i had a sponge in aquaclear for 1 week i removed it because I did not want bacteria on the sponge maybe most of it was on the sponge? Because i used all dead live rock that i acid bathed

All 0 48hours later safe to.add anything?

I plan on using bottled bacteria as well when I setup my new tank soon, My question is do i have to add a ammonia source for the bottled bacteria to feed off of? Im going to use dry rock and dry sand so im not going to have much ammonia in my tank cycle initially. I have heard from someone that you do not need to add ammonia for the bottled bacteria but that is what i thought initially.

If ammonia, nitrite are all 0 and nitrate is low, I would say you could add some small things and your tank is all cycled. Remember not to add tons of fish at once, Maybe add 2 clowns at first or some CUC. And wait another few weeks before you add anything else