SLAYER6669
Aquarium Advice Newbie
- Joined
- May 25, 2008
- Messages
- 4
Hi Everyone,
I started up a brand new 180 gallon tank just over 3 weeks ago already, and I have seen absolutely no changes to suggest the tank is cycling at all. I dosed the tank with Ace Ammonia to about 2-3ppm at first but then a few days after I added some more to approx 4 ppm. The tank sat for over 2 weeks and ammonia never seemed to drop. Water is at about 82*
I eventually put some gravel from a friend's tank into a filter sock and dropped it into the tank. It seemed like the ammonia dropped to 2ppm so I dosed a little more back to 4ppm and still not a single sign of nitrites. I decided to do a PWC a few days later just in case something was going on, and dosed ammonia back up to 4ppm again. Here I am about a week later, still at 4ppm and zero nitrites.
From what I understand, PH/GH/KH tests can be inaccurate at this stage, but I did them anyway and PH appears to be around or just above an 8 right now (and the last time I checked it was an odd shade of purpleish that didn't really resemble the purple shades on the chart). GH took 3 drops to change color and KH took 5 drops to change color (API test kits used)..
Does anyone have any idea what is happening? I know it can take up to 6 weeks for the cycle to complete, but shouldn't most of that time be converting nitrites > nitrates? The water was crystal clear a couple days ago and now it is cloudy again. Hopefully someone can set me in the right direction. This tank will be for Africian Cichlids (mbuna to be exact) so I will have to make sure the pH is high enough after the cycle is done. I'm doing the fishless cycle so I can stock the entire tank at once.
Thanks!
I started up a brand new 180 gallon tank just over 3 weeks ago already, and I have seen absolutely no changes to suggest the tank is cycling at all. I dosed the tank with Ace Ammonia to about 2-3ppm at first but then a few days after I added some more to approx 4 ppm. The tank sat for over 2 weeks and ammonia never seemed to drop. Water is at about 82*
I eventually put some gravel from a friend's tank into a filter sock and dropped it into the tank. It seemed like the ammonia dropped to 2ppm so I dosed a little more back to 4ppm and still not a single sign of nitrites. I decided to do a PWC a few days later just in case something was going on, and dosed ammonia back up to 4ppm again. Here I am about a week later, still at 4ppm and zero nitrites.
From what I understand, PH/GH/KH tests can be inaccurate at this stage, but I did them anyway and PH appears to be around or just above an 8 right now (and the last time I checked it was an odd shade of purpleish that didn't really resemble the purple shades on the chart). GH took 3 drops to change color and KH took 5 drops to change color (API test kits used)..
Does anyone have any idea what is happening? I know it can take up to 6 weeks for the cycle to complete, but shouldn't most of that time be converting nitrites > nitrates? The water was crystal clear a couple days ago and now it is cloudy again. Hopefully someone can set me in the right direction. This tank will be for Africian Cichlids (mbuna to be exact) so I will have to make sure the pH is high enough after the cycle is done. I'm doing the fishless cycle so I can stock the entire tank at once.
Thanks!
