Help with fishless tank cycle

[penguin44]

Anyone here help? Its been five weeks since i restarted this tank. All i have since a pwc on the 17th of march is an ammonia reading of 3ppm 0 nitrite and 0 nitrate Ph 7.8 temp 82. Same results as Feb 28 to March 17.
I actually started this Jan 1 and took it down and restarted Feb 28. Same results this time too. What am i doing wrong here?.

 

[Mr. Limpet]

Anyone here help? Its been five weeks since i restarted this tank. All i have since a pwc on the 17th of march is an ammonia reading of 3ppm 0 nitrite and 0 nitrate Ph 7.8 temp 82. Same results as Feb 28 to March 17.
I actually started this Jan 1 and took it down and restarted Feb 28. Same results this time too. What am i doing wrong here?.

What steps are you taking exactly? Is this a fishless cycling? What are you using to seed the tank? Liquid or test strips to check water parameters? Did you check out the "fishless cycling" stickie?

PWC aren't something you want to do during cycling or clean your filter, at least until the end when it's fully cycled IME. 3 weeks is about average for a tank to cycle, testing water daily is a must and keeping the ammo around 4ppm is a must too IMO. I don't feel you need to really worry about pH during cycling.

 

[warthog76za]

Like Limpet says, dont change the water while cycling, did fishless cycle as well, used a shrimp and after a few days it smelt terrible before the stench finally eased off. Getting that bacteria build up in your tank is what you want. Since you want that Ammonia and even Nitrite level to spike.

 

[jenatron]

Sometimes during a stalled cycle it's recommended to do a PWC. And I think it was a low pH can sometimes stall the cycle as well, but in this case it should be fine.

 

[Deckape]

Here is an article that you may have already seen, but in case you haven't.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...ks-for-your-fastest-fishless-cycle/Page1.html

 

[Deckape]

Sometimes during a stalled cycle it's recommended to do a PWC. And I think it was a low pH can sometimes stall the cycle as well, but in this case it should be fine.

She is right. The article supports her, read down to the conversations between 7Enigma (the author) and Eco23 and Eric (same good fellow). We just finished our cycles on the same day and had the same issues. Hope this helps.

 

[penguin44]

Yeah i read the article. Its really good! Yeah the shrimp smell went away and i did a pwc on advice from a few posts up to get mt ammo down to about 3ppm. Unseeded and not planted tank. I know patience is the key here but my last try at this went almost 66 days without the slightest change. I just want to know what i am doing wrong here. Using a shrimp for the cycle with master test kit. Temp 82 Ph 7.8 ammo 3-4ppm 0 for the rest

 

[penguin44]

Finally cycled. Now what is the ideal reading of nitrate to be at or under.

 

[Deckape]

20 or less would be great. 40 or above is not good. Keep it low is the key. If you don't have plants, pwcs are the answer.

 

[Deckape]

Finally cycled. Now what is the ideal reading of nitrate to be at or under.

Congrats on the cycle by the way!

 

[penguin44]

Thanks for the congrats! I'm currently at a reading of between 20 but under 40ppm. I have 2 moss balls in there as the only plants. Should I still pwc? If so how much? I'm used to a 1 gallon tank. This is a 10 gallon. Half? Thanks in advance

 

[penguin44]

Sorry for the bother but I have brown all over the tank. I see they are diatons. Can I get rid of them? Are two moss balls too much for the tank?

 

[rich311k]

The diatoms will go away on their own, they are common in a new tank and will not stick around long. You can just wipe them off as they are rather unsightly. Ideally you would want to keep nitrates under 20ppm, so a water change is probably a good idea.

 

[Deckape]

Thanks for the congrats! I'm currently at a reading of between 20 but under 40ppm. I have 2 moss balls in there as the only plants. Should I still pwc? If so how much? I'm used to a 1 gallon tank. This is a 10 gallon. Half? Thanks in advance

Half will cut the nitrates by 50 %. If you ever think it's time for a PWC, then do it IMO.

 

[penguin44]

Great thanks all!