Confused with cycle

[Sberk]

I have been doing a fishless cycle since Jan. 11. It seems like it has stalled or something strange is happening with it.

Ammonia has been at 4ppm since day one and is still the same.

Nitrite has stalled at 1ppm since Feb. 4.

I checked nitrates today and they are 10ppm.

My main concern is that my ammonia is not dropping... at all.

Any help or advice is appreciated.

 

[mfdrookie516]

whats the temp of the tank? what did you use for your ammonia source?

 

[Sberk]

Temp is 85

Used pure ammonia as source.

Tank has gotten fairly cloudy as well.

 

[mfdrookie516]

what kind of kit are you using? Have you checked to see if it's expired? Seems like you should have already seen the ammonia drop, especially with the temp cranked up that high... Test you kit against some distilled water and see if everything reads 0... Also look at the expiration date on the test, if its an api test, it will have a lot number of the month and year it was made, just add 3 years to it for everything but ph (its good for 5)

 

[mattscheck4]

If the ammonia isn't going down on its own, you may want to try adding some nitrifying bacteria. You can get it in a bottle at a LFS. It will NOT cycle your tank instantly, regardless of what the label might say. Good luck!

 

[IslandHopper]

well... having nitrAtes means you've got at least SOME bacteria that are processing nitrIte... and having nitrIte means you've got at least SOME bacteria processing ammonia...

So you have the proper bacteria in the system, and with all 3 (ammonia, nitrIte, nitrAte) present, you'd expect to see it stabilize within a few days (assuming a steady source of ammonia... whether from you or from livestock.)

That's why I (and I'm guessing why the other commenters) am thinking you may have a "bad" test kit. If you don't wish to spend $ without knowing this one is bad, perhaps a fish-store will test a water sample for you for comparison.

The "bacteria in a bottle" would be a waste, as apparently you ALREADY have the bacteria present.

 

[mattscheck4]

Just had another idea... Perhaps you're adding ammonia faster than the bacteria you have is able to process it.

 

[Sberk]

I checked my test kit (API master kit) and it's only 6-9 months old.

I have not added any ammonia since the initial dose.

 

[mfdrookie516]

why dont you do a 50% pwc and see if it holds at 2ppm, or drops as it should assuming your tap water has no ammonia in it...

 

[Sberk]

Did 50% pwc today. Tested about an hour later.

Ammonia is now 2ppm.

Nitrites are still 1ppm.

Nitrates are still 10ppm

 

[jim692]

Did you add a little crushed fish flake to your tank while cycling?
It helps with the nutrients needed for the bacteria to thrive.

 

[Sberk]

Did you add a little crushed fish flake to your tank while cycling?
It helps with the nutrients needed for the bacteria to thrive.

My ammonia should have dropped by now regardless of putting flake in though.

 

[Mark Hewitt]

Have you checked your kit to verify that your tap water is reading zero?

 

[Sberk]

Just tested my tap water.

Ammonia and nitrite are 0ppm.

 

[Sberk]

Any other ideas? I've been cycling for 5 weeks now and i'm trying to be patient but I know that my ammonia should have dropped by now.

 

[Drayven]

What's weird to me is that you did a 50% water change but your nitrates didn't drop? have you tried taking a sample to your LFS and see what their tests show? most will test it for free.

 

[Sberk]

Shouldn't my ammonia be dropping because the nitrite has shown up?

 

[mfdrookie516]

doesnt make sense... the nitrite shouldnt rise until the ammonia starts to drop. theoretically, its not possible to have nitrites if your ammonia has not dropped, so it has to have dropped at least enough to provide some nitrites. seems like there has to be something in there stalling out the cycle. any possibility the tank had soap in it or some other chemical and it just didnt get rinsed out good enough?

 

[Sberk]

any possibility the tank had soap in it or some other chemical and it just didnt get rinsed out good enough?

If that was the case then wouldn't it have shown up earlier? (not 4 weeks in)

 

[Sberk]

Any body have any advice? My ammonia is still not dropping (day 42).