Been cycling my tank for 2 and a half months

[Mebbid]

WOW, guys, chill out here. Sprouting random things without having any background information on the tank is not helping anyone and is just confusing the poster.

I agree with Gilpi here, we need more information so to reiterate:

First - How exactly are you cycling? Adding ammonia drops is the first part of the answer. How long have you been adding the ammonia drops?

Second - Parameters - What exactly are your parameters? Ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH Also, temperature would be helpful.

Third - Water Color - Take some water into a glass. If it's a green tint, then it's algae.

To deal with green water you really only have two choices. First is to buy a UV sterilizer and run that on the tank. Or you can do a tank blackout for no less than 3 days. Put blankets, garbage bags, or cardboard covering every place light could hit the water. You want total pitch black to starve out the algae.

If the water is green, then it's not bacterial. It's also not going to be related to the gravel in the tank after this much time.

 

[candymancan]

Scrubbing the glass and swirling the rocks around isn't going to do anything, but I honestly wouldn't do water changes on a cycling tank... Or vacuum the gravel your just removing any kind of Benificial bacteria you have and making the cycle take longer.. As for the green water, get a UV sterilizer or cover the tank..

Can you take a picture of the tank please ? and where its at by the window... Water changes will help the green water but like I said your taking out ammonia and nitrite for the BBA..


Raise the temps to 84f this will help the cycle get along faster, and get some API quick start.. Im telling ya that stuff works.. my 55g took like maybe 3 weeks to cycle.. and my 44G has been cycling for like what barely 2 weeks now, and my nitrites are maxed out and my nitrates are starting to show.. Its going to be maybe another week before my cycle is done.

 

[gilpi]

To the original poster, just step back, take a break. It's not hard to cycle a tank and it should only take about a month (more or less) well, providing you are doing things right.

Some simple basics...

At this point I would not add anything else to the tank.
The black bag, I'm assuming carbon? Not needed at this point. The only thing you need is the filter media (floss or sponge) and never change it, this is where your beneficial bacteria will thrive, so changing it will defeat the purpose of cycling.

Heater should be set around 78f give or take a couple.

Now, where I'm not skilled to advice you is in the Fishless cycling since I use fish when I cycle.
I don't know why you have to be adding ammonia after well over two months but perhaps some one can chime in on this?

Please tell us what type of filter and media you're using.


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[trennamw]

We are definitely throwing out way too many suggestions, some probably bad ...

Bacteria do populate carbon, so don't throw that out without more consideration. You may lose too many bacteria. There isn't a good reason, probably, to add carbon in the future. You can cut pads for your filter from this blue floss, and keep it in there indefinitely. Or add bags of ceramic media. We can advise further knowing more about your equipment.

What has been your routine for the fishless cycle?

I've repeatedly tried API quick start, it did absolutely nothing. And the main issue here is green water, not lack of cycling.

Mebbids advice is the most sound so far, I think. The person who responded early and often has, from what I can tell, a number of errors in the info they have posted.


Sent from my iPhone with three hands tied behind my back.

 

[candymancan]

We are definitely throwing out way too many suggestions, some probably bad ...

Bacteria do populate carbon, so don't throw that out without more consideration. You may lose too many bacteria. There isn't a good reason, probably, to add carbon in the future. You can cut pads for your filter from this blue floss, and keep it in there indefinitely. Or add bags of ceramic media. We can advise further knowing more about your equipment.

What has been your routine for the fishless cycle?

I've repeatedly tried API quick start, it did absolutely nothing. And the main issue here is green water, not lack of cycling.

Mebbids advice is the most sound so far, I think.


Sent from my iPhone with three hands tied behind my back.

It doesn't instant start a cycle like it claims but it does make it quicker.. the day I used it on my 44g within 12 hour my nitrites went from 0 to 5.0 and 24 hours my ammonia went from 8.0 to 2.0, I know its working.. the same thing happened to my 55g..

 

[trennamw]

It doesn't instant start a cycle like it claims but it does make it quicker.. the day I used it on my 44g within 12 hour my nitrites went from 0 to 5.0, I know its working.. the same thing happened to my 55g..

I don't doubt that. But bottled bacteria has intermittent success.

I used it repeatedly on a 29 and after 6 weeks my ammonia never dropped. Whole big bottle.


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[PNWaquarist]

I cycled my tank in 10 days with Dr. Tim's One & Only bacteria. This was at 82 F and pH 8.0. I kept the lights off and the shades drawn to help suppress algae growth.

The porous ceramic pieces in the top of my AquaClear filter probably helped as well.