What am I missing??

[gforee]

We started a tank on Christmas Eve with 6 tetras. 3 months later, the tank still had never reached a zero ammonia reading, although we were getting nitrite here and there. (One day it was there, next several it was not, etc.). When my 4 year old son killed the fish (he wanted to show his little cousin how to pet them...?), we left it set with a high ammonia reading (off the charts) for another 3 or 4 weeks. It never changed. We emptied it out and started over with some media from an established tank and 3 blackhead minnows from the bait store. That was the last week of April. Still have ammonia off the charts (it's nearly blue) and zero nitrite. Where is this magical ammonia eating bacteria supposed to appear from??? (We use API products for tap water treatment, testing, and feeding)

 

[ImACoolguy]

Have you tested the tap water itself? It's not uncommon throughout the year for tap water parameters to change. Especially those that live near farms (fertilizers = ammonia)


Caleb

 

[gforee]

Testing now. But at any rate, why would I not be cycling? Why am I not getting any nitrates or nitrites?

 

[gforee]

Tap water registered a big zero.

 

[biondoa]

How often do you do partial water changes and how much water do you change? Do you treat the new water with a conditioner like Prime? Is your water city water or well water?
I suggest frequent partial water changes for a while. I think 50% maybe twice a week for a while and then as the ammonia goes down, you can cut back gradually.

 

[gforee]

As I stated in my original post, I use API tap water conditioner. The question is not what to do. The question is: why does there seem to be no ammonia destroying bacteria infiltrating my tank, even after seeding from an established tank? And it was 4 months before I gave up round 1 and we are over 2 months into this round. Are we supposed to be sneezing in the tank or something to introduce bacteria? There is no UV light and I'm not disurbing the film or filter media.

 

[MissGurnus]

Extreme levels of ammonia (and possibly nitrite) hinder the growth of the bacteria you need. Your ammonia is likely so high that they can't grow.

-sinibotia

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[gforee]

That is something I had not considered. All I have ever read is about ammonia levels being too low for the cycle to complete. I've been deliberately leaving them high for that very reason.

 

[MissGurnus]

Yeah, i would try to maintain levels around 2ppm.


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[coralbandit]

Who is in tank now and what are parameters?
For that matter what size tank and what filter.
I did not see where you introduced seeded media from cycled tank??
Was it this run at it or last time???
IMO too high ammonia would not stall you this long..........
Nature is not perfect although most of its results are.
You need to explain more .........

 

[gforee]

From the original post:
"We emptied it out and started over with some media from an established tank and 3 blackhead minnows from the bait store. That was the last week of April. Still have ammonia off the charts (it's nearly blue) and zero nitrite. Where is this magical ammonia eating bacteria supposed to appear from??? (We use API products for tap water treatment, testing, and feeding)"

It's a 20 gallon tank with a whisper 30 over the tank filter.

 

[MissGurnus]

I think if the ammonia is so high that it makes the test turn blue it could be unbearable for the bacteria.


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[coralbandit]

From the original post:
"We emptied it out and started over with some media from an established tank and 3 blackhead minnows from the bait store. That was the last week of April. Still have ammonia off the charts (it's nearly blue) and zero nitrite. Where is this magical ammonia eating bacteria supposed to appear from??? (We use API products for tap water treatment, testing, and feeding)"

It's a 20 gallon tank with a whisper 30 over the tank filter.

My bad!
I saw the blackhead part clearly.....

 

[biondoa]

As I stated in my original post, I use API tap water conditioner. The question is not what to do. The question is: why does there seem to be no ammonia destroying bacteria infiltrating my tank, even after seeding from an established tank? And it was 4 months before I gave up round 1 and we are over 2 months into this round. Are we supposed to be sneezing in the tank or something to introduce bacteria? There is no UV light and I'm not disurbing the film or filter media.

The answer to the about why there is no ammonia destroying bacteria in the tank, IS the question of what to do. Because there is such high ammonia, What to do? I suggested more quantity and more frequent water changes. You didn't say how often you do them or how much you change . Water changes are usually helpful for most problems including ammonia. If you keep your ammonia level lower the bacteria will be able to increase their population gradually. with very high ammonia they cannot keep up.