cycled tank no longer cycled

[TracyRee]

UGH!!!! Having so much trouble with fish keeping. I've been keeping fish on and off for like 20 years and never had this trouble.

Fish got sick and treated tank with Furan-2 and Kanaplex. (they had columnaris) saved a few fish and things looked good. Ordered some Rams and they arrived today. While drip acclimating them I checked Nitrates to see if they are nice and low, but they were ZERO. So I checked ammonia and nitrites and horrified to see I have ammonia (.5ppm) and zero nitrites.

So my tank is completely uncycled. And I have two gorgeous Rams. Delicate Rams.

I don't even believe in cycling a tank with fish in it. Always have done fishless.

WHAT now??

I added Prime to detoxify ammonia.

I can only guess that the meds killed off the bacteria?

Edited to add: 20 gallon, pair of cory cats and 3 neon dwarf rainbows and now 2 rams. been set up fro over a year

 

[coralbandit]

First no big deal IMO ?
Are you sure you shook the #2 reagent for nitrite test ? The most common mistake is not shaking before adding drops which also most often says you have 0 nitrates ?
Next you did good adding the prima and a 20 is going to easy to re cycle.Unless the meds killed all the bacteria [doubtful IMO] the bacteria should bounce back quicker then just cycling from new.
Keep ammonia and nitrite under 1ppm.
The % of water you change is the % you will remove the nutrient.
Know that using the prime is all good [I do] but will still register on test.
If when ammonia gets close to under 1ppm of either make 50% water change and double dose prime.
Make sure your tank is a minimum of 80f for the rams ...

 

[TracyRee]

Thanks. Panic has subsided, just frustrated at this point.

I shook the snot out of that test and tested the water the rams came in to test that my tests are working. They are. Sure wish it had been user error.

So I am trying Fluval Cycle and hoping it'll give me a jump start. Guess I'll be doing a fish-in cycle with my beautiful new sensitive Rams. Boo