Tank isn't cycling...

[FishFixation]

My little tank is torturing me with its strangeness.

I set it up nearly a month ago, on December 28th, and I began officially trying to cycle it about a week later (I had some botched attempts that caused me to start over). I got my ammonia up to about 2ppm with pure ammonia, and for a while I was getting low nitrite readings and low nitrate readings, Then I got distracted and didn't check the tank for a few days. When I checked it again, the ammonia had dropped to 0.25, and my nitrites AND nitrate were both zero.

Since then, I've been feeding the tank daily, but it's stagnant. Every day I add a drop of ammonia to get it back up to ~2ppm, but my nitrites and nitrates remain at zero. I wonder if the ammonia is just evaporating off.

It's been doing this for a week and a half now, with no signs of progress. What can I do to kick-start it? I tried some stuff called stability that claims to help establish the cycle, but it doesn't seem to be helping any. I've heard good things about bio-spira... This is so frustrating.

Any other thoughts about what would cause a tank to just not cycle at all? I'm tired of looking at my "silk plants and slimy piece of driftwood tank." I want a fishy!

 

[Blueiz]

Ammonia doesn't evaporate..

What kind of tests are you using?

 

[FishFixation]

I'm using the API liquid test kit. What's strange is that I was getting positive readings on the nitrites and nitrates a few weeks ago, but now they're both zero. I haven't done any water changes or anything, either. :/

 

[mfdrookie516]

do you have the temp running a little high? that should speed it up somewhat... temperature can slow or speed the cycle tremendously

 

[FishFixation]

I keep the tank at about 84F.

 

[Blueiz]

I'm thinking that maybe you don't have enough nitrates to get a reading on your test, but they are there. Try this, dose the tank to 2ppm of ammonia daily for 7 days, then test your trates. Make doubel sure you are using the trate test correctly, sometimes it can be tricky.

You don't by chance have a live plant in the tank do you?

 

[FishFixation]

The advice I got on another thread was to raise the ammonia to closer to 5 ppm, then cut back a bit when nitrites start showing up, so I just added a few drops of ammonia and I'm waiting for them to mix in before I test again.

I am shaking the heck out of that second nitrate bottle - the full 30sec/1min, very vigorously. I don't know what the problem is.

The closest thing I have to a live plant is whatever slime is growing on my mopani driftwood... everything else is silk.

 

[Blueiz]

I dunno if slime needs nitrates..lol, possibilities... They have to be going somewhere.

 

[mfdrookie516]

i wouldnt recommend anything higher than 4ppm on nitrates... its either 6 or 8ppm that will stall out the cycle, and you definitely dont wanna do that

 

[cabezon]

drops? I used 2 oz of ammonia. It's not like there are any fish.

 

[FishFixation]

well, it's a 3 gal tank that holds about 2.5 gal with the decorations in. A little goes a long way...

 

[ErnieB]

I started cycling my tank on dec 7 and just this week finally started seeing nitrites. So it just takes time.

 

[cabezon]

did you get any used filter media?

 

[eatsomepopcorn]

You can try getting a media pad from your lfs or someone who has a saltwater tank you trust to kick start. You could also try the all forbidden cycle with fish in the tank (i.e. damsel for $6).

 

[FishFixation]

No, I don't have any mature media. That's why I was thinking of trying the biozyme or something. I don't want to import ich from the local fish store or anything... that's why I hesitate on that one.

As per doing fish-in, I've been sorely tempted, but I would go ahead with the betta if I'm going to do it that way. I don't want to buy any fish that I don't intend to keep if it lives.

 

[OhNo5000Bees!]

Cycling with fish isn't that dangerous as long as you stay on top of the water conditions and make water changes as necessary. With such a small tank it'll be easy to do 50%+ water changes. Changing out the water won't slow down the process as the bacteria live on the surfaces, not floating around in the water column.

 

[FishFixation]

I totally did a 99% water change today in preparation to switch to fish-in cycling, and then I drove around to SIX different fish stores and didn't see any bettas I liked. So I'm back to fishless/liquid ammonia cycling for at least another week. I'm thinking I'll have to order a fish if I want one I really like. ($$$$$)