Fishless cycle concerns/question

[FishBreath]

I have a  quick question! I did post it elswhere too but the thread was getting old and I never had any responses so If you could help that would be great...I have some concerns , or maybe its normal the first 3 days the tank was run with nothing added to the 90g tank except for I did add grave(3/4 of a 1gal bucket)l a piece of wood and the filter media(all from an established tank) then at the end of day 3 I added ammonia to 5ppm  on day 4 (or day one,24 hrs after the day with ammonia added)
readings were
- Ammoniia 4.9 or slightly higher Nitrate=10 - Nitrie=.3 the next day Ammonia was 0.6 Nitrate was 110 and Nitrite was 1.6
I added amonia back to around 3 the next day results before adding Ammonia , Amonia was 0.6 Nitrate=110 plus Nitrite=3.3 I then added more Ammonia to back to around 3  todays reults were simliar to the day before maybe ammonia might have been slightly less the results are Ammonia between 0 to 0.6 but definitley some slightly showing  nitrate=110 plus color changed immediatley on test usualy has to sit 5 min to get that dark nitrite=3.3 plus it to changed fairly quick although a bit slower
What concerns me is the Nititrates and Nitrites are these supposed to be this High? ....Is this part ofthe fishless cycle ? Should I do a water change to at least get the levels  of Nitarate and Nitrite back into a readable rangei(if so how many gallons should I change ,it's a 90 g tank) or
Maybe I'm concerned over nothing  
I appreciate all your guys/gals help and thank you again in adavance

[Stevie]

I'm not sure of the nitrate reading, but when ammonia is cleared to 0 after 10-12 hours, your nitrites will spike.  When they level off to zero and ammonia stays at zero, then it's safe to add your fish!  There are some good articles on fishless cycling here:

http://www.aquatic-hobbyist.com/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=15
http://www.skepticalaquarist.com/
http://badmanstropicalfish.com/articles/article14.html
http://www.aquahobby.com/tips/fishless.html
http://www.thetropicaltank.co.uk/cycling2.htm

[luvfishies]

Your fishless cycle is accelerated cue to the seed media you added. Your levels are totally normal for the latter stages of a fishless cycle, you just got there incredibly quickly!!

If the nitrITES stay above 3 for more than a few days in a row, you should do a 25% waterchange so that the high nitrITEs don't stall the cycle, which can happen with prolonged high nitrITES.

This was more common when we dosed to 5ppm ammonia, and KEPT ADDING 5 ppm every day, thus the recommendation to only go to 3 ppm after the initial dose. You "should" be fine keeping on the track you're on.

[FishBreath]

Great thanks for the info I was thinking I had done something wrong there and didn't know what to do because this is all new to me what about the NitrAte do I worry about it or just let it go

[luvfishies]

Nah, don't worry about nitrATE, as you'll be doing a massive waterchange (think on the order of 90%) once you are cycled, and before you add fish.

[artw]

or even 100%

[luvfishies]

True enough, Art, I just didn't want to scare FB off. You certainly CAN do a 100% before adding the first fish.

Subsequently, you can do large waterchanges as long as the pH/KH and temp is very close to the water that's in the tank.

[FishBreath]

"LOL"   I don't scare easy if you say change it all I change it all if you say 90% then it's 90% you all are the experts I'm not  but one day I may be

[FishBreath]

My tank has just cycled as of last night
[ 0 - Ammonia 0 - Nitrite] Now, I have heard different percents water to change I have herd anywhere from70% to 100% Im guessing from the input from this sight the magic number is %100 Can someone please clarify that. Also i am about to go away for a few days should I do the water change  before I go. (WILL IT BE STILL OK FOR THE CYCLE PROCESS while I am away)  Or should I wait till I get back and change the water, by the way (just to complicate it abit more)I just picked up a bucket of plants just before it cycled on me, not knowing that that this was the day it was going to cycle.I have close to 75 or more  I was planning on planting tommorow just be fore I leave. Is this going to mess up the cycle in anyway if so what procedures do i do know
I have to plant the plants tomorrow Unless they will be ok floating in the aquarium till i get back
Any suggestions appreciated
Thanks

[luvfishies]

I would add 3 ppm ammonia before going, and leave the tank alone. Don't change water, wait til you get back and re-test. If ammonia and nitrites are again "0", test nitrATES. What you want to do is remove as much water as needed to get the nitrATEs below 20ppm before adding fish.

As for the plants, they should be fine floating loose in dechlored water in buckets in a bright location for the time you're gone. Once you're back, get ALL THE FISH, change some water, add fish and plants, and rest happy that things should be "just fine" from here on in unless you manage to kill off the biobugs with meds or something.

[Marx]

doing a fishless cycle do i have to add all my fish at once when im done my cycle??

[luvfishies]

doing a fishless cycle do i have to add all my fish at once when im done my cycle??

No, you don't *have* to, but that's usually the main reason for doing fishless, so that you can add a substantial amount of fish right from the get-go and not have to worry about ammonia and nitrite spikes.

If you only add a few fish, and wait, essentially then you're doing a "fish-in" cycle, as the biobugs will die off without their 3 ppm of food/ammonia daily.

The good news is that the plants will help with the "fish-in" cycle if you decide to stock lightly and go slowly.

[Marx]

no worries im gonna add like 20 fish of the bat lol..