3 Months no cycle...Time to call it?

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I wonder if it could be something else in the water preventing cycling? Would the lfs be in the same water supply?
 
Yeah the LFS is in the same city I am...I just did a huge water change (probably 95%) and have 50/50 tap/RO water right now, along with a new filter (Aquaclear)..had some established filter media that i transferred over so hopefully it helps.
I'm going to pick up a pair of fish tomorrow and start the fish in cycle...

On a side note, i added a dark background to my tank and fully lit it up, and noticed a bunch of very tiny white worm-like creatures slithering around in there...I'll get a picture up if I can of them. I did a little research on them and I don't think they're planaria, but I'm not positive. I actually think they are detritus worms. I haven't had any fish in there so it can't be from overfeeding..
 
Looks like planaria, your new fish will take care of them. .

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While I may be wrong here, but I would keep it in the 77-78 range (at least that's what I do when cycling a sw tank) since that's the temp I plan on running the tank at. What's your water coming out of the tap at params wise?
You increase temperature to speed up the biological action of the bacteria. It makes them grow faster. This works up until about 100 degrees.
id rather have your 20 nitrates than my .5 ppm ammonia from my tap water. cycling was easy for me change 75 percent a day once i had nitrates i started adding fish had no trouble. its pretty bad if you feel safer drinking your aquarium water than your city tap water but i still use my tapwater for water changes i just do more frequent smaller changes than i would otherwise
The .5ppm ammonia is way better than the nitrates. A 50% water change will bring it to .25ppm where the BB in the tank quickly takes care of it. High nitrates in the tap are way more difficult to deal with.
 
how do you figure that if the water out of the tap has .5 ppm
 
Tank Cycling

Hello Mak...

Interesting. I've heard quite often about problems with fishless cycling. Can't say the same about cycling a tank with fish. Might be that ammonia levels need to be steady throughout the process, like you have when you have fish in the tank.

You could PM me about cycling a tank with a few hardy fish. You'll have the benefit of activity in the tank from the start and if you use the right fish, no harm is done.

Just a suggestion. You're the tank keeper.

B
 
The swimming action in the last pic looks more like some type of detritus worm. Planaria for not squirm like that unless you give them a shot of glut or excel.

Yeah from what I've read this sounds right to me...would the fish take care of these as well? I know some gravel vacuuming should definitely help.
 
Did some gravel vacuuming today along with a complete overhaul of the tank...I saw a significant decrease in the number of those little critters.

First 2 fish coming home tomorrow, we'll see how it goes! (y)
 
Nice work! I'd be cleaning them out too.. i don't mind a couple extra guests but I would not want a whole colony..

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Got my first pair of fish today...one's a little youngin' and other seems mature. Going to watch them and the water levels VERY carefully...I have the API Master Kit but I ordered the Seachem free/total ammonia tester just to be safe.
They seem very happy and even ate as soon as I decided to feed them (even though I heard to wait 24 hrs). Got a couple pics of them..

Tank)

Mugshot 1)

Mugshot 2)

Let's hope they stay healthy :fish1:
 
You have to use the IMG URL on photobucket. And post it between IMG /IMG both with these brackets around them [ ]. Glad you stuck with it, and got some life to enjoy in the tank finally :D.
 
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