6 Weeks, No Nitrites

[KJurgelewicz]

I have tried several forums and still cannot find my problem, hopefully you guys can help.

I have a 26 Gallon tank, with an Aqueon 30 HOB filter. I am cycling with 4 Red Wag Platies (Did not know about cycling at first, otherwise would have chosen fishless).

I am changing the water as frequent as possible to keep the ammonia down, but it does jump up to 1ppm on occasion. It has been constantly rising for about 6.5 weeks, I change the water, it drops, but then rises again, and this process keeps repeating.

About 4-5 weeks in, I had a bacteria bloom. At this time, I scrubbed the tank walls and rinse the carbon cartridge in the filter out in old tank water and reinserted. Other then that, I have not cleaned anything in the tank since the start.

Recently, I have begun to see my nitrates rise (without ever seeing nitrites) but ammonia still rises as well. I only feed once a day and very little food.

I also have brown algae growing all over the gravel.

Can anyone help me figure out why my cycle is not finishing or at least moving to the nitrite phase? Also, why are my nitrates rising if I do not see nitrites?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[LyndaB]

What are your actual readings? And what test kit?

 

[KJurgelewicz]

API Master Liquid Test Kit.

Tap Water is pH 7.4 Ammonia 0.25, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 5.

Aquarium pH was at 7.4 for first 4 weeks, then overnight (same time as bacteria bloom) dropped to 6.4, and has been slowly rising since. The past few days its been 7.0.

Aquarium Ammonia has been between 0.25 and has gotten up to 1.5 when I couldn't do a water change for a few days. I change water every 2 - 4 days when it gets above 0.5 to 1.0.

Aquarium Nitrite has never read anything except 0.

Aquarium Nitrate read 5 (from tapwater) for first 5 weeks, and since then has risen up to 10 - 20 before I did the past few water changes.

EDIT: I test at least every other day, if not everyday.

 

[miles]

Did you start with any seed material from a cycled tank?

How often do you actually do a PWC, and what percent?

(help me out guys) Is it possible that the nitrite-consuming BB is developing at nearly the same rate as the ammonia-consuming BB? That would be the only situation I can think of where the cycle might skip straight to nitrate production. But it's just an idea and I've never heard of this happening before. Maybe your constant PWC's have caused a unique circumstance to arise.

In any case the frequent PWC's, although necessary for fish-in cycling, are definitely going to slow the cycle. Remember it takes on average 4-6 weeks - some longer, some shorter.

 

[KJurgelewicz]

I did not start with any seed material as I had no where to get it. I do a PWC every 2 - 4 days, depending on work schedule and Ammonia readings. I change 8 of 26 Gallons. I started out using Top Fin water conditioner, but someone on another forum suggested that may be the cause of a stalled cycle, so for the last 3 weeks I have been using API Conditioner.

Also, there is salt in the tank (1 tablespoon per 5 gallons) to protect the fish, I understand this may slow the cycle, but right now it almost seems like it is stalled completely. I know some cycles take longer then 6 weeks, I have no problem with that, just want to make sure I am not stuck.

 

[librarygirl]

Hm, I had this problem when fishless cycling my tank. The first time around ammonia almost never dropped at all after 6-7 weeks and 0 nitrite and nitrate. I then changed everything (the tank, gravel, etc) and restarted. Ammonia started dropping slowly but then stalled and no nitrite or nitrate after something like a month even with seeded material. Only when I changed my water source to spring water and added minerals (RO Rite) did the cycle take off. Now mine is probably an extreme case and I'm not saying it's your water source but it's a possibility. Theoretically by now ammonia should be staying at 0 and you should be in or just about over the nitrite phase. Is there any way you can get some seeded media? There's a site here that sells "active" filters which are seeded filters from their fish tanks and members have had good luck with them (if you get one make sure it's marked "active" otherwise it's just a plain filter). You could also experiment as I did with adding minerals to the water (RO Rite by Kent is one; Seachem Replenish I think is the other) just in case there's something lacking in your water that the bacteria need to establish.

 

[Ice Man]

I had similar situation. My ammonia would never go down and there was no nitrates. My tap water contains 20-40 ppm of nitrates and that didn't help with cycling.
After reading some comments I purchased 4" "active" filter from above web site. Instead of air stone I installed mine sponge on a power head. Ammonia went down within hours and never came back. It was such a relief. The company who sells them breeds angel fish so their tanks are very clean and free on any parasites and other harmful stuff. My lfs also offered me a seeded sponge,but I don't think it is a good idea to get it from lfs. Unless their tanks are super clean and free of any harmful stuff (very unlikely). Good luck with your cycle.

 

[KJurgelewicz]

I will look into the filters. However, I was talking to an experienced fish keeper that my friend knows and he suggested that I might be killing the bacteria with chlorine in the tap water.

I am using water conditioner, but I have been putting it in the bucket of water and then dumping the bucket into the tank. How long does water conditioner take to work? Should I be waiting before putting it in the tank?

 

[librarygirl]

I will look into the filters. However, I was talking to an experienced fish keeper that my friend knows and he suggested that I might be killing the bacteria with chlorine in the tap water.

I am using water conditioner, but I have been putting it in the bucket of water and then dumping the bucket into the tank. How long does water conditioner take to work? Should I be waiting before putting it in the tank?

What brand of conditioner? As far as I know most of them work almost instantaneously so adding it to the water in the bucket should be fine. You could try adding more just in case your water has a high amount of chloramines in it that may need some extra conditioner but not 100% sure that's your issue although certainly worth a try. Stirring it up a bit and waiting a few minutes before adding it into the tank is certainly an option as well and it couldn't hurt to try.

 

[OasisKeeper]

I will look into the filters. However, I was talking to an experienced fish keeper that my friend knows and he suggested that I might be killing the bacteria with chlorine in the tap water.

I am using water conditioner, but I have been putting it in the bucket of water and then dumping the bucket into the tank. How long does water conditioner take to work? Should I be waiting before putting it in the tank?

Well, that isn't the problem. Conditioners work nearly instantly if there is some circulation. Even a swish with your hand would do it.

Re-reading this all, it seems like the biofilter was possibly disrupted when you did that clean up a couple weeks back. Which implies that you are just a few weeks in now.

I say hang in there another week or two with water changes and see if you get some nitrites up.

 

[Ice Man]

That's the way to do it. Water conditioner should work almost instantly. I always keep my water in the bucket for at least 20 minutes.

 

[KJurgelewicz]

Well, that isn't the problem. Conditioners work nearly instantly if there is some circulation. Even a swish with your hand would do it.

Re-reading this all, it seems like the biofilter was possibly disrupted when you did that clean up a couple weeks back. Which implies that you are just a few weeks in now.

I say hang in there another week or two with water changes and see if you get some nitrites up.

When I did the "clean up" I only rinsed the carbon cartridge in used tank water. I did not clean anything else or rinse anything in non treated water.

LibraryGirl - The water conditioner is API and I do add slightly more then the recommended dosage.
(Tap Water Conditioner)

I will try letting the water sit for some time before adding it, but since it seems this isn't the issue, I am open for more suggestions.

Thanks everyone.

 

[OasisKeeper]

Well, I guess I misinterpreted this:

About 4-5 weeks in, I had a bacteria bloom. At this time, I scrubbed the tank walls and rinse the carbon cartridge in the filter out in old tank water and reinserted. Other then that, I have not cleaned anything in the tank since the start.

Didn't mean to make you defensive, just speculating on what is going on.

 

[KJurgelewicz]

No problem, I appreciate your help. I did scrub the algae off the walls, because I couldn't see into the tank. LOL. The filter cartridge was rinsed in old tank water and put back in. No decorations or plants were cleaned. No gravel was vacuumed.

 

[nextgeneration40]

Kinda funny..I have the EXACT same issue...26 gal tank,fish in cycling,aqueon 30 HOB, .25 ammo,no trites,5.0 trates...been cycling for 2 months now... I clean my filter in old tank water (not that it matters I have a well..) and do 50%+PWC's every 2-3 DAYS... the only thing I HAVE noticed is that even with rinsing out my filter ALOT of water is going around it through the bypass to the side and not through my filter media (I am ordering an AC 70 tomorrow) My fish act healthy and happy and my well water does NOT contain trates so I'm not sure whats going on either...

 

[KJurgelewicz]

As soon as my water starts going over the bypass and not flowing through the filter cartridge, i rinse and this resolves the issue for a few weeks.

 

[librarygirl]

No problem, I appreciate your help. I did scrub the algae off the walls, because I couldn't see into the tank. LOL. The filter cartridge was rinsed in old tank water and put back in. No decorations or plants were cleaned. No gravel was vacuumed.

You mentioned your PH had dropped. Is it dropping consistently? I know you are doing regular water changes b/c you have fish so in theory that should keep the PH up but have you noticed it dropping? Sudden drops in PH can stun the bacteria and if it gets low enough nitrification can stop all together (I think it slows at around the low 6's and stops below 6). I'm just wondering if PH fluctuations are slowing the process.

You could try adding a small amount of crushed coral into a mesh media bag or clean nylon stocking into your filter to help buffer your water if frequent PH drops are a problem. Other than that I'm not sure what's holding up the cycle, to be honest with you. The only other two things I can think of to suggest are what I mentioned in a previous post: seeded media and/or adding a mineral supplement like RO Rite.

 

[librarygirl]

Kinda funny..I have the EXACT same issue...26 gal tank,fish in cycling,aqueon 30 HOB, .25 ammo,no trites,5.0 trates...been cycling for 2 months now... I clean my filter in old tank water (not that it matters I have a well..) and do 50%+PWC's every 2-3 DAYS... the only thing I HAVE noticed is that even with rinsing out my filter ALOT of water is going around it through the bypass to the side and not through my filter media (I am ordering an AC 70 tomorrow) My fish act healthy and happy and my well water does NOT contain trates so I'm not sure whats going on either...

Have you tested your well water to see if the .25 of ammonia reading is coming from there? Not sure how but just to rule it out. Has ammonia spiked and fallen or has it always been .25? Have you used any seeded media from another tank? It's possible to skip the nitrite phase and go to the nitrate phase but it usually happens with a lot of seeded material from another tank. And at two months I would think at least your ammonia should be reading 0 by now. Are you using the API kit? I find it's hard to distinguish between the 0 and .25 reading; I'd suggest testing some spring water and hold it against your tank reading; if they both match, then your tank really has 0 ammonia and not .25. Also what is your PH and has it remained stable?

 

[nextgeneration40]

apologies to the OP did not intend to Hijack the topic, just mutual questions my PH is stable at 7.8, I use API master test kit, my ammo has spiked before to 2.0 (I do ALOT of PWC..) I do have filter media from my LFS in my filter (part of my bypass problem..) that has been in there for 2 weeks but if this cycled my tank why do I still have low ammo? (just tested well water and its bright yellow, tank sample is slight green I would say .25...)Thanks for answering

 

[swimwithme]

I just added my fish a week ago, so I'm no expert. Libraygirl and Eco are great sources.

In my experience which took almost 3 months I had issues getting my nitrites to show up. I did go with the recommendation from Eco to try the Seachem Replenish. It helped in my instance. It took about 5 days before I noticed any trItes, but after that it moved along like it was supposed to. I would recommend getting some seeded media (like others have suggested) and trying the Replenish since you've seemed to try everything else.

I also use the API Water Conditioner and I also triple the amount in my 40 since I have about 1ppm of ammo in my tap already.

Good luck to you.