Tank Cycled ?

[Boyd Luth]

whew....I am kinda old School, 1/2 shrimp, etc. for cycling. Soooo, I have a 160 gallon tank, with a refugium draining back to a wet/dry sump for my under tank filtration, giving about 210 gallon total water capacity. I had two bags of ceramic balls from an existing 55 gal. guppy tank, and a few nice pieces of driftwood with Java Ferns, pulled and put into the sumps of the 160. Temp about 82, PH 6.7 plants driftwood all doing great. I have added fish food, and my ammonia has creeped up to .25, zero nitrItes, zero NitrAtes and am at day 16.....I understand that my ammonia spikes followed by the nitrItes, etc. do I need more fish food ? has my tank cycled with the addition of established ceramic media, and driftwood ? any advice , suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you, Boyd.

[Poco]

I wouldn't have done it the way you are doing it. If you are seeing ammonia I think it is not cycled. I would do a large water change to take out all the rotting food and just add few drops of clear ammonia (with no additives or fragrances) and check the water for ammonia after 10-15 mins and note it down. Do the test again after 24hrs. you need to aim for ammonia to be zero after 24hrs.