Tank won't cycle

[Smudgeboss]

I started out trying to do a fishless cycle with household ammonia in [acronym:6b04d806c1="Reverse osmosis"]RO[/acronym:6b04d806c1] water and Hagen "Cycle." One month later [acronym:6b04d806c1="Ammonia"]NH3[/acronym:6b04d806c1] was at the same level with very little indication of [acronym:6b04d806c1="Nitrate"]NO3[/acronym:6b04d806c1] (test water was barely pink, indicating 0 [acronym:6b04d806c1="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:6b04d806c1] on the color chart).

The [acronym:6b04d806c1="Local Fish Store"]lfs[/acronym:6b04d806c1] guy tells me that treated tap water is better than [acronym:6b04d806c1="Reverse osmosis"]RO[/acronym:6b04d806c1] water, as it isn't so pure. He also tells me that he believes that the bacteria comes from fish poop so put fish in.

So that's what I do. I drained my tank and filled it with treated water (10 [acronym:6b04d806c1="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:6b04d806c1] tank). I put in three (a moderate number) of Gold Skirt Tetras.

We are now over three weeks later. In the morning the [acronym:6b04d806c1="Ammonia"]NH3[/acronym:6b04d806c1] is at 1 so I do a 2 [acronym:6b04d806c1="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:6b04d806c1] [acronym:6b04d806c1="Partial water change"]pwc[/acronym:6b04d806c1]. In the evening the [acronym:6b04d806c1="Ammonia"]NH3[/acronym:6b04d806c1] is at 1 so I do a 2 [acronym:6b04d806c1="Gallon"]gal[/acronym:6b04d806c1] [acronym:6b04d806c1="Partial water change"]pwc[/acronym:6b04d806c1]. In the morning . . .

[acronym:6b04d806c1="Nitrate"]NO3[/acronym:6b04d806c1] is at 0 [acronym:6b04d806c1="Parts per Million"]ppm[/acronym:6b04d806c1].

Am I too impatient?

There is no algae growth in our tank in all this time either. Is it possible there is something in the tank that is killing off the bacteria and algae? All the gravel, plastic choral, plastic plants and plastic wood is intended for aquarium use.

Any suggestions about what I should do?

Thanks

[mattrox]

What type of filter are you using?

[zilla870]

Originally Posted by mattrox

What type of filter are you using?

it goes [acronym:8d2aed2599="Ammonium"]nh4[/acronym:8d2aed2599] to [acronym:8d2aed2599="Nitrite"]no2[/acronym:8d2aed2599] to [acronym:8d2aed2599="Nitrate"]no3[/acronym:8d2aed2599]. that is nitrogen cycle. you have to have [acronym:8d2aed2599="Nitrite"]no2[/acronym:8d2aed2599] develope b4 getting any [acronym:8d2aed2599="Nitrate"]no3[/acronym:8d2aed2599]. What is your [acronym:8d2aed2599="power head or Measure of the concentration of hydrogen ions, depending on context"]ph[/acronym:8d2aed2599] at? what testing kit and brand are you using? strips or liquid?

Does anyone else think his tank could have cycled already with out him testing [acronym:8d2aed2599="Nitrite"]no2[/acronym:8d2aed2599]?

what filter medias are you using?

[kaaikop]

Hello Canadian!
Definately, I think you should get a test kit for nitrites. That won't speed up your
cycle any, but will give you a better indication what's going on, besides nitrites
are pretty deadly for fish when they start to rise.

Do you have live plants in your tank? plants will eat up all the [acronym:1486d550bf="Ammonia"]NH3[/acronym:1486d550bf], [acronym:1486d550bf="Nitrite"]NO2[/acronym:1486d550bf], [acronym:1486d550bf="Nitrate"]NO3[/acronym:1486d550bf]
available especially when the tank is new, not a bad thing actually, but it will
delay the cycle process tremendously.

Welcome to AA!

[bzbee]

FISHLESS
Is your household ammonia 100% pure? Any other additives may cause problems.

Also, too high a [acronym:150e757d00="Ammonia"]NH3[/acronym:150e757d00] level will stall the cycle. Try to keep [acronym:150e757d00="Ammonia"]NH3[/acronym:150e757d00] around 4-5ppm when doing fishless. That may have been what happened to your first try. It happened to me before and a simple [acronym:150e757d00="Partial water change"]PWC[/acronym:150e757d00] dropped it to 4ppm and the cycle finished a week from then.

FISH
Are you using enough dechlorinator? If not, you're killing beneficial bacteria each time you do a [acronym:150e757d00="Partial water change"]PWC[/acronym:150e757d00]. What is the [acronym:150e757d00="Ammonia"]NH3[/acronym:150e757d00] reading straight from the tap?

You should see an [acronym:150e757d00="Ammonia"]NH3[/acronym:150e757d00] spike, followed by a [acronym:150e757d00="Nitrite"]NO2[/acronym:150e757d00] spike. I agree that you should be posting [acronym:150e757d00="Nitrite"]NO2[/acronym:150e757d00] readings as well, since the [acronym:150e757d00="Nitrite"]NO2[/acronym:150e757d00] spike happens when [acronym:150e757d00="Ammonia"]NH3[/acronym:150e757d00] is consumed (leading to the lowered [acronym:150e757d00="Ammonia"]NH3[/acronym:150e757d00] reading, which could coincidentally be what you're reading).

It certainly does not sound like your tank is cycled (ie 0ppm [acronym:150e757d00="Ammonia"]NH3[/acronym:150e757d00], 0ppm [acronym:150e757d00="Nitrite"]NO2[/acronym:150e757d00], >0ppm [acronym:150e757d00="Nitrate"]NO3[/acronym:150e757d00]) yet since you still have an [acronym:150e757d00="Ammonia"]NH3[/acronym:150e757d00] reading. It could be your test kit is bad so some info there may help.

If you didn't seed your tank with bacteria, it takes a lot of time for atmospheric bacteria to colonize the nooks and crannies of your tank. In fact, when I do fishless cycling, I find it good to seed again during the [acronym:150e757d00="Nitrite"]NO2[/acronym:150e757d00] spike. I just cycled my 75G in 2.5 weeks that way. Try getting hold of a friend with an established healthy tank and the next time they gravel vac, dump that mucky water into your tank.

Good luck!

[TomK2]

What is the pH of the tank? Low pH can really slow down a biofilter's developement. Also, many of our northern brethren have chloramines in the tap water, which need to be treated. I know Toronto has chloramines, but I don't know about Saskatchewan.

[Smudgeboss]

Thanks for all the replies guys. I will formulate responses and get back at the end of the day.
Thanks again

[oxymoron]

I had a problem with high ammonia (>8ppm) stalling my cycle, I did a few [acronym:d5ca92f7e9="Partial water change"]PWC[/acronym:d5ca92f7e9] and got it down to the 3-4ppm range and the cycle finished in a week.

[Smudgeboss]

Okay, I will try to answer all your questions in this full shot, in order in which they were asked
Filter: Regent Aquatech 5-15 with charcoal, etc. all in one prepackaged unit that you put in and remove as required. It has a permanent biological filter that is supposed to be stocked with the bacteria in the cycling and is not to be changed. I am still on my first filter unit.

Ph is about 7.6 I am using an aquarium pharmaceuticals liquid test kit for the [acronym:453648f304="Ammonia"]NH3[/acronym:453648f304] and a Hagen Nutrifin for the [acronym:453648f304="Nitrite"]no2[/acronym:453648f304] (I was wrong I was testing [acronym:453648f304="Nitrite"]no2[/acronym:453648f304] not [acronym:453648f304="Nitrate"]no3[/acronym:453648f304])

I have no live plants, just a couple of phoney ones

For dechlorinator I am using Jungle brand "Start right" which it says works for chlorine and chloramine. It says to use 10 drops for 1 american gallon. I am using 10 drops for 1- 4 liter ice cream pail.

But something is starting to happen in my tank, but it is not as I expected. Please see a new post called "Nitrite poisoning?"

Thanks all