fishless cycling need help

[Talon242]

I don't understand why its taking so long. It's almost been 3 weeks now and ammonia has been around 4.0ppm since the start. No nitrites yet either. The temp is at 84F. Am I just impatient or what did I do wrong?

 

[Allivymar]

Heh, impatient. It can take from 2 - 6 weeks to cycle a tank.

What are you using to test? Strips or vial tests? And have you checked nitrates yet just to see?

 

[Endgame319]

Yeah, and if you want to speed it up, try seeding it with gravel/filter media from an established tank. I seeded my 10gal with media from my 25g and it cycled in 2 weeks.

 

[Talon242]

Heh, impatient. It can take from 2 - 6 weeks to cycle a tank.

What are you using to test? Strips or vial tests? And have you checked nitrates yet just to see?

Bah, the fun of staring at an empty tank can only last so long... Oh yeah, I have the Aquarium Pharmaceuticals test kit. And I havent tested for nitrates yet becuase I havent had a trace of nitrites.

 

[Allivymar]

LOL I hear ya. I did a fishless cycle once, just to see what it was about and to see if I could. I did seed the tank with goop from a mature tank, and saw nitrites within a week. And like you, they just wouldn't go away. It sucked staring at that empty tank LOL I wound up getting some BioSpira, changing 75% of the tank water, pouring it in and adding fish the next day. The tank has been cycled ever since.

Patience is not one of my virtues