So i have a 160L tank which has been setup for about 5 months now, unfortunatley i have used fish to try and cycle the tank and it never really worked got ammonia readings of about 0.25 and no nitrite or nitrate.

Then i changed my substrate to ADA which overnight boosted my tanks specs up to A=4, Nitrite = 2, Nitrate = 20 did water change to combat this to keep fish alive (also didn't know about the ammonia in ADA before i bought it so was a major learning experience)

So at the moment i want to keep 4 Discus in the tank along with some Bristlenose, the tank is still showing an ammonia reading of 1 even after being setup for 5 months don't know why with not nitrite and trace nitrate.

To combat this i have ordered a quarantine tank and plan to transfer fish to this while i properly cycle my display tank this time with the 'fishless method'

Just got a few questions (basically trying to summaries all posts into one so i can have it all in front of me instead of referring to multiple posts)

1. I need to first need to aquascape the tank the way i want it before i add water

2. Add tap water to tank without dechlorinating it

3. Let filter run for 24 hrs

4. Add enough ammonia as per the instructions to get an ammonia reading of 4-5ppm

5. Continue adding ammonia to keep readings at 4-5ppm till nitrite peaks [b](what sort of reading should i be looking for here? around 2-3ppm?)[b]

6. Once nitrite has peaked add only half doses of ammonia to keep cycle going

7. keep adding ammonia till nitrate readings appear

8. Continue ammonia addition till if i add enough to get a reading of 5ppm it dissapears overnight

9. once ammonia, nitrites = 0 and nitrates register something do a water change removing as much water as i can.

10. Refill tank with water and then i should have a cycled tank

Is this correct? have i missed anything?

Also the filter material i currently have on my display tank although it isn't really doing much test result wise can i assume i have some amount of bacteria in it and that i could rinse it in tank water and then use it or should i add completely new filter material to start the cycling process again?

Hopefully mine takes as short a time as some of the others between 1 and 2 weeks as i am bored of looking at an empty tank.