Tank won't cycle

[fatality2012]

I set up my 55 gallon tank on Sept. 7th (a little over a month ago). I filled up the tank with dechlorinated water and put in the heater, filter, and air bubbles. I let the water sit for about 5 days to reach a stable 74 degrees before adding some fish (2 bala sharks and 2 black tetras).

I do a 10% -15% water change every other day and vacuum the gravel as well. I feed only what my fish can eat in 5 mintues to make sure I don't over feed them.

The ammonia level varies from 2.0 to 3.0 ppm, the nitrite is between 1.0 to 2.0 ppm and nitrate is 20 to 40 ppm. I started adding a bacteria booster (Stress Zyme +) last week, but haven't noticed much of a difference. I started using prime, but read somewhere that if the ammonia is removed the good bacteria will not have a chance to establish itself, so I stopped using it. I have not changed my filter media, only rinsed it out in the aquarium water that was being changed out.

Also my fish seem happy and eat all the food I give them.
I am beginner and didn't know about cycling before I added my fish
What do I need to do to make my tank cycle (sorry about the wall of text)?

 

[gil]

This is from my experience only... do not waste your money on so called "bacteria in a bottle" and yes the rise in ammonia is part of the cycle and I would not clean the filter since that might disturb the cycling process as well. One thing that will speed up your cycle is taking some gravel or better yet some a piece of filter media from an established tank and add it to to yours.
If your fish are hardy they will make it through the cycle...what fish do you have in the tank now?

 

[fatality2012]

Forgot to put in the original post that I do have gravel in the tank. Unfortunately I do not know anyone with an established tank either. In the tank I have 2 bala sharks and 2 black tetras. Maybe it has started to cycle and I just need to be more patient.

 

[mudraker]

It can take months for a tank to complete the cycle. PWC are absolutely needed if you are going to keep the fish in the tank while it is cycling. You are lucky the fish are tolerating the amonia.

Gil was correct in advising you not to rinse the filter media during the cycling process. It is important not to lose the good bacteria in it.

You may be able to get some substrate with good bacteria in it from another LFS. If you can get your hands on some, put some in either a filter media bag, or even in a cut up piece of panty hose, (only use new ones) cinched with a rubber band, into your filter.

If the rest of the substrate doesn't match what you have in your aquarium you can put it in as large a bowl as possible to keep it from mixing with your own or again, cinch it in panty hose and just leave it at the bottom until your tank is fully cycled.

 

[fatality2012]

So I should just keep up the water changes every other day and don't clean the filters. Then just have patience and keep monitoring the ammonia and nitrite until they go down to 0?

 

[mudraker]

With that much amonia and nitrite and fish you should be doing about 40% daily. It will not slow down cycling to do PWC.

It will make your fish much more comfortable.

 

[gil]

The thing is not to clean the filter at this stage but if you can do just as mudraker says and get some gravel from your LFS into your filter, I believe your tank will cycle a lot faster at this point. Even after cycling you should not clean the filters to often unless you over feed but anytime you clean, just a quick rinse to get some of the crud out is enough, you need the bacteria in the filter media.

 

[fatality2012]

Ok, thanks for the information. I live in a small town and unfortunately the nearest petstore is Petsmart which is almost an hour away. I don't know of any stores that specialize in fish in my area.

 

[mfdrookie516]

Can you take the fish back? Those balas will get entirely too big for your tank anyways. Your best bet is to take the fish back, do a fishless cycle, then get fish that are more appropriately suited for your tank. You're going to continue to have issues with ammonia and nitrite with those balas in there, as once they start to get a little bigger, they dont quit growing or eating.

If you're set on keeping those fish (which I highly suggest otherwise), read the link in my signature on cycling with fish. That should give you an idea of what you'll need to do to keep them healthy (for now at least).

 

[fatality2012]

I did a 40% water change earlier today (didn't clean the filter as suggested) and later did a liquid water test. The ammonia is around 1.0, the nitrite is about 2.0, and the nitrate is at about 40 ppm also. I tested the nitrate from my tap and a reading around 20 ppm. Should I stop adding the bacterial booster (I only add it once a week)? I can't take the fish back but I do have a smaller tank (I think 5 g.) but that is not setup either. Any other suggestions?

 

[BigJim]

Do another water change. If you've got fish in the tank, I'm surprised they're alive with those water parameters. Keep the ammonia below 0.25ppm.

 

[fatality2012]

How much longer will it take to cycle it. I thought by now there should be no ammonia and I should of went through a nitrite spike by now. So I don't know what is going on with my tank.

 

[BigJim]

It's tough to nail down how long cycling should take. You're close.

 

[mudraker]

Keep up with those water changes no matter how long it takes. Sometimes a few weeks, sometimes a few months. It's trickier with fish in there and the outcome is ofter very bad.

 

[Floyd R Turbo]

Also, don't pay much attention to the NitrAte at this point, the NitrAte test converts the NitrAte to NitrIte and then tests that, so if you have any NitrIte present, the NitrAte test is basically irrelevant.

 

[taylorodw]

Hello fatality, and welcome to AA. You have gotten good advice so far.

One thing I will say though, is, your tank IS cycling for sure. We normally refer to the cycling process as a series of "spikes" - ammonia spike, nitrite spike, and then finally nitrates only.

However, you don't need to see a huge "spike". The fact that you have nitrites, and your nitrates are higher than tap level, means that you do have good bacteria taking you through all three stages of the cycle. You just don't have enough bacteria built up yet to keep up with the fish bioload.

When cycling with fish, you don't see as dramatic of an increase because less ammonia is being added in the first place.

So, do not worry. Keep ammonia and nitrite down (as long as there is a readable amount of ammonia and nitrite, the bacteria will be reproducing at full speed (ceteris paribus), so water changes won't slow down the cycle). Your tank is cycling as you read this!