question about cycling

[newgirlly]

I just recently set up a 55 gallon. I used the media from my friends established tank in my filter, thinking this would help me get a start on the cycle. I also added two fish (I know alot of people don't agree with this, but I have two friends who did it and it worked for them). My question is, after 2 1/2 weeks, my ammonia is only 0.20 and my nitrites are 0, nitrates 10 and ph is 8.0 is this normal?

 

[fadec40]

You should shoot for 0 ammonia.

 

[aredmon]

have your nitrites or nitrates gone up at all? I just finished cycling and my ammonia was at 1.0 for 4 weeks before the rest of my cycle started.

 

[ezee]

newgirlly,
I am pretty new too and had a similar issue.
You should be looking for a spike. .2 ammonia is not so bad from what I have read. Sometimes tanks skip the ammonia part but you should be tracking the nitrites and nitrates and be looking for a spike in Nitrites and then a dropoff to 0. Your ammonia should also drop down to 0, as previously mentioned.
Do you have measurements from the previous two weeks?
E

 

[newgirlly]

my readings from the past two weeks are the same except my ammonia was zero up untiltwo days ago and my nitrates were also zero until two days ago but their has never been any nitrites. I guess I was expecting some huge spike in the trates and ammonia. Does anyone think I can add more fish or should I definetly wait?

 

[ezee]

newgirlly,
Definitely don't add any fish. The ammonia and nitrites may not have spiked and it will kill almost anything you put in there. Test a few times each week and wait for the ammonia and nitrite numbers to go up, peak and drop to zero. Once that is done do a large water change to manage the nitrates and then add fish at a rate of 1 every 2-4 weeks. This hobby is so expensive, I would hate to make it more expensive for myself by buying things that will likely die in a few.
Later,
E