End of my rope on fish less Cycling.

[GregW]

I know what your thinking. Another rookie stumbling in here for help with cycling. I'm skeptical you can help me but I'm giving it a shot before my Wife loses it and brings home some fish.

My wife had aquariums 25 years ago and has been bugging me for about 10 years to get another one. So I finally gave in and got her a nice 40 gal acrylic tank and went all out on the set up for freshwater. We both had no idea about fish less cycling but once I stumbled onto it we decided that was the only way for us.

Tomorrow will be day 28 with no real results. I'm looking for any help besides a link to cycling as I have spent about 50 hours reading those.

I filled up the tank and added a capful of prime to start. Then I slowly added Ace hardware (no bubbles when shaken) ammonia up to about 5. Although its hard to tell even with the API "Master test kit". I had the water at a constant 84 degrees for the first 3 weeks as thats the highest I could go with my 1 heater. A week ago I added another heater and it is now a constant 90.

I didn't put an air stone for the first 3 weeks thinking my Fluval G series put out enough added air with the wands pointed down and shooting some air in. A week ago I added an air stone for a 40 gal tank.

2 weeks in The ammonia dropped to between 1 & 2. I got a reading of some Nitrates for 1 test and have never again. I mistakingly got impatient and added some more ammonia. I over added and did a 1/4 water change to bring it down.
I was worried about the PH which seemed like around 6. I added a little backing soda but it was to much so another 1/4 water change to bring it down.

I got desperate 10 days ago and added Tetra safe start. Great test readings immediately followed by back to where I started the next day of course as the ammonia had killed it all I presume from reading later. I have no access to filter media to add to the tank to jumpstart this process.

Now comes the questions. Does it just not work sometimes? Can it take over a month to start? What would you do, add shrimp, give up and add fish?
If I wanted to give up and do it with fish how to I prepare the tank from here?

I know I made some impatient mistakes. But you try having your wife hound you every day.

Day 27 same old dark green and light blue test tubes. Anyone want to buy a tank?

 

[DanS180]

I know what your thinking. Another rookie stumbling in here for help with cycling. I'm skeptical you can help me but I'm giving it a shot before my Wife loses it and brings home some fish.

My wife had aquariums 25 years ago and has been bugging me for about 10 years to get another one. So I finally gave in and got her a nice 40 gal acrylic tank and went all out on the set up. We both had no idea about fish less cycling but once I stumbled onto it we decided that was the only way for us.

Tomorrow will be day 28 with no real results. I'm looking for any help besides a link to cycling as I have spent about 50 hours reading those.

I filled up the tank and added a capful of prime to start. Then I slowly added Ace hardware (no bubbles when shaken) ammonia up to about 5. Although its hard to tell even with the API "Master test kit". I had the water at a constant 84 degrees for the first 3 weeks as thats the highest I could go with my 1 heater. A week ago I added another heater and it is now a constant 90.

I didn't put an air stone for the first 3 weeks thinking my Fluval G series put out enough added air with the wands pointed down and shooting some air in. A week ago I added an air stone for a 40 gal tank.

2 weeks in The ammonia dropped to between 1 & 2. I got a reading of some Nitrates for 1 test and have never again. I mistakingly got impatient and added some more ammonia. I over added and did a 1/4 water change to bring it down.
I was worried about the PH which seemed like around 6. I added a little backing soda but it was to much so another 1/4 water change to bring it down.

I got desperate 10 days ago and added Tetra safe start. Great test readings immediately followed by back to where I started the next day of course as the ammonia had killed it all I presume from reading later. I have no access to filter media to add to the tank to jumpstart this process.

Now comes the questions. Does it just not work sometimes? Can it take over a month to start? What would you do, add shrimp, give up and add fish?
If I wanted to give up and do it with fish how to I prepare the tank from here?

I know I made some impatient mistakes. But you try having your wife hound you every day.

Day 27 same old dark green and light blue test tubes. Anyone want to buy a tank?

At this point id say your cycle has stalled significantly. What I would do is start over by throwing an uncooked piece of shrimp in a filter sock and call it a day.

Test regularly and go from there. My fishless cycle took exactly 1 month to finish so yes sometimes it does take longer than others, every tank is different obviously.

 

[GregW]

Thanks Dan, I have been considering the shrimp route. Are there any drawbacks to this approach?

 

[DanS180]

Thanks Dan, I have been considering the shrimp route. Are there any drawbacks to this approach?

None that I know of. I've done the shrimp method in all of my tanks. Never tried the ammonia dosing method.

 

[GregW]

Ok, I'll give it a try. And I just realized I posted a fresh water question in the salt water section. I'm going to try and repost over in the fresh water section. Hopefully an Admin will delete this thread.

 

[DanS180]

Ok, I'll give it a try. And I just realized I posted a fresh water question in the salt water section. Sorry.

No problem, same rules apply tho

Moderator please move to correct thread category, thank you

 

[DanS180]

Ok, I'll give it a try. And I just realized I posted a fresh water question in the salt water section. I'm going to try and repost over in the fresh water section. Hopefully an Admin will delete this thread.

Don't bother, a moderator will move it

 

[GregW]

Ok, Thanks for the Help Dan.

 

[DanS180]

Ok, Thanks for the Help Dan.

Anytime!

 

[okapizebra]

If your pH is dropping too low, that will stall the cycle... although I don't know much about this. Try googling that and see what you find. I think that once you hit a pH that's too low the bacteria stop functioning so your cycled is stalled.

 

[GregW]

I added baking soda twice to get the Ph up. But it seems like they say that's a slippery slope as you won't always be able to keep in consistent.