Cycling Question

[bs]

So I've had my tank cycling for about a month...or atleast I think I did.
Nitrites- 0
Nitrates- 0
Ammonia- .25
Is that even possible? I watched the ammonia rise and fall. I'm really thinking that that was all that happened. I think my major problem was that I only had an ammonia test kit. I just got the rest of the tests today.
Everything I have read says that I'm going to need to do a water change at the end of the cycle to reduce the nitrates...it just seems so long though...
Thanks!

 

[geoj]

Could be

You need to be tracking for days in a row to know what is going on.
How is the tank setup?

 

[bang guy]

Are you using the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Ammonia test kit? It is notorius for showing false positive.

 

[speg]

You mean the one with the little fish-doctor on it?

 

[pepito113]

What method did you use to cycle. Without something in the tank releasing ammonia I dont think you did a proper cycle.

 

[bs]

Yes I am using API to test my water. And I was adding pure ammonia to the water, and I also had some uncured live rock.

 

[bs]

So really my real problem is that I have some of my CUC coming in the mail today. If my tank hasn't cycled...then I'm pretty sure that my snails and crabs aren't going to enjoy that. I do have a few old tanks I could set up with some HOB filters. Shoudl I just put them in there, and try and REcycle my tank?
And what is a good company that I could get an ammonia test kit from, to double check my ammonia reading?

 

[slice]

Originally Posted by BS
http:///forum/post/3268207
And what is a good company that I could get an ammonia test kit from, to double check my ammonia reading?
I also have the API kit. The folks here got me so paranoid that now I almost always have a baggie of my water when visiting any of several LFS to confirm my test results. Perhaps you should do the same until you get a handle on what is happening.
PS
I don't think a little paranoia is such a bad thing in this hobby...

 

[florida joe]

Originally Posted by Bang Guy
http:///forum/post/3268168
Are you using the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Ammonia test kit? It is notorius for showing false positive.
i can not speak for Bang but I think he may mean that its not the kit proper but the procedure to run a test has to be spot on or you get a false positive