Time to go from nitrite to nitrate?

[JU5T]

I have a 10 gallon that I'm trying to cycle. I test every 24 hours. I add 20 drops of an ammonia additive to keep it at about 2ppm. The ammonia is processed completely by the next test. My nitrites have been a steady .5ppm for 5 days. Am I just not giving the tank enough time to process the nitrites to nitrates before adding more ammonia? Should I stop adding ammonia to test or will that stall the cycle? There was about 3 days where I let the ammonia go to 0 without adding drops and the nitrites didn't budget from .5ppm too. I added some bacteria and it fired up again the next day. It's been a month exactly. Any help is appreciated.

[MattyM]

I've never dosed ammonia before, but I can say that the nitrIte -> nitrAte part seems to take the longest for me. How long has the tank been up? Adding some Fritzyme 7 might help speed it up - assuming that's not the bacteria you already tried. 

[AllFishNoBrakes]

Just need a little more patience. Remember that the ammonia converting bacteria and the nitrite converting bacteria are 2 different types. You obviously have the ammonia bacteria, and you’re growing the nitrite bacteria. Nitrite needs to be present to grow the bacteria. Just a little more patience. You’re almost there!

[Schuyler]

Do you have plants in it? Are the nitrates showing up at all? How long have you been cycling?

Do you have a picture of the tank by chance? What do you plan on putting in?

[Darax]

Fancy soil/some root tabs can put nitrites into the water column. 

[JU5T]

To answer a few questions. It's planted. It's been one month. Getting ready for 2 pea puffs. The tank has a steady diet of nitrites. It has lots of nitrates at this point due to starter water having some, root tabs/liquid fertz etc. I haven't done a water change yet. I anticipate several 40% water changes to get the nitrates down and ready for fish once it's cycled. Part of me wondered if it was already cycled and I was just catching the nitrites doing their thing. I appreciate all the feedback. I'll just keep waiting. 😃 Classic tank cycling stuff.