Cycling tank

[Covey]

Hello guys. I am currently cycling a 90 gallon tank (50x18x22 inches) for my axolotl, and i am asking how far is my tank from being fully cycled? My water parameters are:
Ph-7.6
Ammonia-0 ppm
Nitrite-1 or 2 ppm
Nitrate-5 ppm
Right now i am confused as to why the nitrties aren't zero and the nitrate is 5 ppm. I'll do another test in a few days to see if my tank has cycled. Once ammonia is 0 ppm, nitrite 0 ppm, and nitrate 5-10 ppm i'll add ammonia source again and check the next day if its 0 ppm. If so, that means my tank is properly cycled and ready for Ponyo. I also have some anubias nana in the tank to help filter some ammonia and nitrite. But what do you think?

 

[wolfen]

to cycle the tank you dose the tank at 4ppm ammonia then wait a week, test ph/ammonia/nitrites/nitrates then top up ammonia back to 4ppm then retest after 24hrs, top up ammonia back to 4ppm retest after 24hrs, keep doing this until the ammonia and nitrites are both 0ppm after 24hrs, then top ammonia up to 4ppm and retest after 24hrs for a couple more days just to make sure the cycling has definitely finished, whilst the tank is cycling do not do a water change unless the nitrates are 110ppm or higher, if the ph goes below 7 add bicarbonate of soda until it is 7.4-7.6. using a heater in the water to warm the warm will help the bacteria to breed and help speed up the cycle as will adding bottled bacteria, although if the water goes cloudy stop adding any bottled bacteria.

 

[Covey]

to cycle the tank you dose the tank at 4ppm ammonia then wait a week, test ph/ammonia/nitrites/nitrates then top up ammonia back to 4ppm then retest after 24hrs, top up ammonia back to 4ppm retest after 24hrs, keep doing this until the ammonia and nitrites are both 0ppm after 24hrs, then top ammonia up to 4ppm and retest after 24hrs for a couple more days just to make sure the cycling has definitely finished, whilst the tank is cycling do not do a water change unless the nitrates are 110ppm or higher, if the ph goes below 7 add bicarbonate of soda until it is 7.4-7.6. using a heater in the water to warm the warm will help the bacteria to breed and help speed up the cycle as will adding bottled bacteria, although if the water goes cloudy stop adding any bottled bacteria.

Oh, what i did was first add ammonia source (fish food and carnivore pellets) and the ammonia level was 2-4 ppm. Then i added seachem stability for a week and then started testing. At first ammonia was still high (1-2 ppm) but then nitrites appeared. But my ammonia was still 1 ppm and i realized i didn't add enough bacteria (my tank is 90 gallons) so i added an entire bottle of bacteria (according to instructions) because before i thought i had 40 gals of water in my tank, but i soon realized it was 62 gals of water in my tank, so i finished an entire bottle compensating for the bacteria not added. And now my ammonia is 0 ppm, nitrites 0.50 ppm, nitrates 5 ppm, and ph 7.6

 

[wolfen]

Oh, what i did was first add ammonia source (fish food and carnivore pellets) and the ammonia level was 2-4 ppm. Then i added seachem stability for a week and then started testing. At first ammonia was still high (1-2 ppm) but then nitrites appeared. But my ammonia was still 1 ppm and i realized i didn't add enough bacteria (my tank is 90 gallons) so i added an entire bottle of bacteria (according to instructions) because before i thought i had 40 gals of water in my tank, but i soon realized it was 62 gals of water in my tank, so i finished an entire bottle compensating for the bacteria not added. And now my ammonia is 0 ppm, nitrites 0.50 ppm, nitrates 5 ppm, and ph 7.6

because you are using the fish food method instead of ammonia chloride method there will still be waste being broken down whilst you are testing it, because it's a 90 gallon that is a lot of waste. using food instead of ammonia is less precise and harder to control as you can't correctly measure the amount of ammonia being produced, until the nitrites are zero the source of ammonia will need topping up until both ammonia and the nitrites are zero, it might be easier using frozen prawns in a bowl placed in the tank as a source of ammonia or try and get some ammonia chloride otherwise you will have a lot of waste to clean up before the tank is ready. using the food method you have to put in enough food to give a massive amount of ammonia then wait until the ammonia and nitrites are zero, then do a clean up/water change to reduce any nitrates and food remnants.

 

[Covey]

Update: ammonia is 0 ppm, nitrite 0 ppm, and nitrates 5 ppm. Last night i put in some fish food (cuz i cleaned the whole thing yesterday, but of course i didn't take out all the water just 10%) to see if my tank is cycled. Im waiting for a spike in nitrite then a spike in nitrates, then i'll do a water change to decrease nitrates.

 

[wolfen]

Fishless Tank Cycling and Avoiding New Tank Syndrome - General Guides - Articles - Fishkeeping for doing a fishless cycle with fish food.
don't do a water change until the tank is finish cycling or the nitrates get above 110ppm also keep the ph above 7

 

[Covey]

Fishless Tank Cycling and Avoiding New Tank Syndrome - General Guides - Articles - Fishkeeping for doing a fishless cycle with fish food.
don't do a water change until the tank is finish cycling or the nitrates get above 110ppm also keep the ph above 7

My ph is 7.6, and how is the nitrates gonna get that high? Maybe i'll change it at 40-80 ppm?
Update: i read the link you sent me, and i believe i am 70% done cycling. My nitrites and ammonia are 0 ppm and nitrates are 5 ppm, tho i'll wait for nitrate to rise then water change

 

[Covey]

Update: i am transferring Ponyo tommorow to her new tank. Its fully cycled after 2 weeks and 5 days. I sped it up using used sponge filters, used air stones, used decors, and also some of her tank water from the 20 gallon and also bacteria in a bottle. I tested it today to see if it works, and it did. Ammonia spiked, then turned to 0 ppm. Same with nitrites, spiked and then 0 ppm, then nitrates spiked. I did a water change and now the results are: ammonia 0 ppm, nitrites 0 ppm, nitrates 5 ppm, and ph 7.6
I am excited to transfer her tommore, she will be very happy! I am currently going to use frozen ice bottles to cool the water (i'll get a chiller in a week or less, and i have 15 ice bottles also in case of power outage/brownout)