Adding TSS to help stalled Cycling?

[GregW]

I've had no luck getting my fish less cycle to start. 30 days in and nothing.
The only thing I left out was media from an established tank as I have no source for that.
My question is about Tetra Safe Start. It seems to be made to use from the start. Given that I have ammonia in my tank if I add Tetra Safe Start now won't it kill it? I tried this at 2 weeks in and was elated to get nitrite readings. But alas they were gone the next day. I would try that again or anything else if there was a chance it would kick the cycle starting.

I think I have lost the last of whatever sanity I had left.

 

[john.hunter225]

If you plan on using tetra safestart you would want low if not 0 levels of ammonia because as the instructions say you will shortly add fish right after. So if you really want to use it I would suggest doing a big water change then adding it in 24 hours after you did the water change w/ dechlorinator of course.

I have read many stories of people having great success with safestart so I ended up trying it out and it didn't work out for me. Just make sure you follow the directions and don't touch your water for 2 weeks.

I believe it is at a good price at doctors foster and smith and amazon for now. I paid 23 bucks at petsmart for the 70 gallon one and its now like 10-13 bucks on those two sites.

 

[librarygirl]

Hm, let's try to figure out why the cycle isn't progressing.

What ammonia are you using?
How much are you dosing?
What test kit are you using?
Have you done any water changes in the 30 days?
What dechlorinator do you use?
Is ammonia dropping at all? If so how much in 24 hours?
Do you have nitrates?
What's your PH?

 

[GregW]

Thank you very much for your offer of help. I imagine that the last thing anyone wants to deal with is another rookie struggling with cycling. But I am at my wits end. I easily have $800 in on this present for my wife and am close to putting it all up on craigs list. Any help I immensely appreciate.

1- Ace Ammonia, industrial strength formula.

2- One initial dose up to 4-5. After a couple of weeks when it dropped to between 1-2 I re dossed but put to much and did a 30% water change to bring it down to the 4-5 range. This day was the only time in the cycle I got a nitrite reading. The next day nothing and nothing since.

3- API Freshwater master test kit.

4- 3 water changes. Fist one at 2 weeks after over dosing ammonia. Second one a week later after putting to much baking soda to bring up the PH. Third on a few days ago after reading stalled cycles might jumpstart by lowering the ammonia to 1-2 range.

5- Seachem Prime.

6- I struggle with reading these test results. But basically 90% of the time it has held in the 4-5 range with no movement. A few days ago I desperately tried a water change to bring it down. It looked like I had brought it down but sometimes I get conflicting higher readings. Today it looks like it has gone down to about 1ppm. But still no signs of Nitrites. Never a sign of Nitrates.

7- I have struggled with the PH. Initially I was in the low 7 range but dropped down to 6 or lower. I added baking soda twice the first time to much I ended up around the 8 range. I just took it now and its off the charts.

I know I must be making mistakes otherwise it would be cycling by now. But what can I do going forward to give my wife some hope. Other wise in the next few days we will be off to get some fish unless I can convince her I have a plan of action and an understanding of whats going wrong.

Thanks for any help, Greg