Cycling 40 gallon breeder

[junglefunk13]

New member here. I have a 15 gallon tank that has been established and just upgraded to a 40 gallon planted breeder for well over a year. I haven't cycled a tank in a long time so ive kind of forgotten how to do it. I came here because facebook groups were telling me one thing then someone comes in and says that's not how you do it or whatever so I decided to come here. I started cycling my tank (fishless) about 2 weeks ago I initially started seeding it with some used filter floss from the 15 gallon tank of mine. My test result for today read .50 ppm for ammonia 2ppm for nitrite and 10-20 ppm to nitrate. Where I'm confused is adding ammonia and how much I should keep adding. I've heard several things add it till 2ppm or add it til 4ppm. Should I not worry about nitrates until the nitrites go down to zero along with ammonia. If I keep adding ammonia nitrites will go off the chart is that ok while cycling a tank will the nitrates eventually get rid of the nitrites? People. On Facebook all contradict each other and I don't wanna make the wrong decision and make the process longer. Any input would be appreciated 

[Ben P.]

I might be in the minority here but what I do cycling a new tank is to set it up with the filter you want to use and just let the tank run and do nothing for 2 weeks.  Then I start to feed the tank as if there is fish in it once a day and I feed the approximate amount of food I will when the tank is stocked.  So if you estimate you will feed a small pinch of flake daily, then you put that in the tank every day as if you have fish there.  I do this for 4 weeks.  At some point the water will go cloudy, don't change the routine.  The water will suddenly be clear, when that happens you're good to add your fish.  Totally foolproof, no need for testing anything.  I actually don't own any water testing equipment

[AllFishNoBrakes]

If you’re converting ammonia to nitrite to nitrates, then that tells me you have the bacteria you need to make both transitions. Makes sense considering the filter floss from the established tank should have both types. 
 

Personally, I would stop adding ammonia, let the tank work through whatever ammonia you have added to this point, and I’d wait for ammonia and nitrite to hit 0. Once it hits 0, I’d do a water change to get the nitrate level where you want it, and then I’d add some fish!

I have 14 tanks and have never once “cycled” them to 2ppm or 4ppm ammonia. I dosed ammonia once, let the tank work through it, and then slowly add my fish after quarantining. Your tank only needs the bacteria necessary to convert the amount of food/waste it produces. Cycling to 4ppm could actually cause the bacteria to crash and die, resulting in an ammonia spike, and starting the process all over again if you’re not overstocking/feeding to 4ppm ammonia. 

[junglefunk13]

I have seachem stability and been adding it as the cycle goes continues. 

[Galabar]

I think you are doing just fine.  Don't worry about the nitrate until your ammonia and nitrite go to zero.  I recently did a fishless cycle (maybe 6 months ago?) and I used store-bought ammonia.  I think I kept it under 2 ppm ammonia.  My feeling is that it is good to continue to keep the ammonia non-zero.  Wait until the nitrite goes to zero, then stop adding the ammonia and wait for that to go to zero.  Afterwards, do a large water change and you should be good to go:

So:

1) Keep ammonia elevated (< 2ppm) until nitrite hits 0.

2) Stop adding ammonia.

3) When ammonia hits 0, do a large water change.

4) Profit.

 

[_Eric_]

I wouldn’t worry about the optimum amount of ammonia.  You are doing fine. Once you get zero ammonia / nitrite with an ammonia source of some kind, water change your nitrates down to a decent level and start stocking slowly.  Monitor levels to make sure you don’t stock too fast and if you do, just water change to keep levels as low as you can.  The bacteria reproduce pretty quickly once they are in there.