Cycling -- Remove NH Source?

I'm establishing a new 5g tank and have started the cycle with a piece
of fish from a raw fillet.

Ammonia is up around 4ppm and nitrite around 5ppm. From what I've
read, now nitrite is around 5 I should start to see some nitrate
showing soon. Should I remove the piece of dead fish to stop the
ammonia, or let it be?

Maybe I should add I put three plants in the tank at the beginning, and
I'm using a gravel UGF. Apart from anything in the gravel, I've added
no extra nutrients for the plants, nor sand.

Thanks for any help. I've googled on it, but I can find only advice on
stopping artificial ammonia, nothing on removing a piece of dead fish.

--
Nick

Here is the basic formula for fishless cycle from the original recipe (4-5
drops NH3 / 10 gal / day until nitrite peaks, then reduce to 2-3 drops / 10
gal / day). As you can see even during the nitrIte spike you need to
continue to add ammnonia - so I would say leave it in... Never did a
fishless cycle with decayed meat, so have no idea how you would "reduce" the
ammnonia production, unless you cut it in half, but if you have the NitrIte
readings coming I suggest you sit and wait - you should be within a few days
having the cycle complete.


"NickC" wrote in message
. 243...
I'm establishing a new 5g tank and have started the cycle with a piece
of fish from a raw fillet.

Ammonia is up around 4ppm and nitrite around 5ppm. From what I've
read, now nitrite is around 5 I should start to see some nitrate
showing soon. Should I remove the piece of dead fish to stop the
ammonia, or let it be?

Maybe I should add I put three plants in the tank at the beginning, and
I'm using a gravel UGF. Apart from anything in the gravel, I've added
no extra nutrients for the plants, nor sand.

Thanks for any help. I've googled on it, but I can find only advice on
stopping artificial ammonia, nothing on removing a piece of dead fish.

--
Nick