Cycleing takes forever

[Fishy1954]

At least it seems that way.My 45 gallon tank has been going 3 weeks and I still am not getting any Nitrite readings, and Ammonia is still around 1 ppm. I am doing 25% water changes every other day to keep the fish safe. How much longer of this hell do I have to endure?

Thanks in advance

 

[Fishyfanatic]

It typically takes between 6 to 8 weeks when cycling with fish. It's faster to go fishless but since you already have fish it is going to be a longer wait.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

I completely agree, 6-8 weeks, and sometimes longer. Do you have anything that you could kickstart the cycle, like some filter material from another aquarium from a friend or relative? Can also try Stress Zyme. I've used it and cycled a friends tank in about 2 weeks. It's not quite like Bio-Spira, but it worked. I've tried Cycle, but never did anything for me. Just a waste of money.

 

[Fishy1954]

I completely agree, 6-8 weeks, and sometimes longer. Do you have anything that you could kickstart the cycle, like some filter material from another aquarium from a friend or relative? Can also try Stress Zyme. I've used it and cycled a friends tank in about 2 weeks. It's not quite like Bio-Spira, but it worked. I've tried Cycle, but never did anything for me. Just a waste of money.

Went thru almost a whole bottle of Stress Zyme! Guess I just have to be patient.

 

[Big Ben]

Just add something from an established tank, a decoration or a bit of gravel or Squeezings from an established filter sponge. It really kickstarts things. I added some gravel from my 10 gal into the filter and decorations from my 10 to my 50 gal to cycle it. Fishless, it took 18 days from start to finish, ammonia to nitrite to nitrate.

 

[hsherman1986]

i cycled a 10 gal in a week with a well establised filter pad. Fed the bacteria with fish food until the end of the cycle. I only have four fish in there right now. I put the first fish in (a betta) then a week later I added a full grown molly, and two of her surviving babies.

 

[Burks]

Just add something from an established tank, a decoration or a bit of gravel or Squeezings from an established filter sponge. It really kickstarts things.

I did the same thing for my 14g hex. I added a clay pot to my 10g about a month ago because I knew the 14g hex would be set up soon. Took that out along with a few other rocks, substrate, plants, and squeezed out my filter. About three weeks later my ammonia reading were hardly detechable.

 

[Speakerman]

soak your filter media, or bio wheel in cycle or stress zyme for about 30 minutes, then put the media back in the tank. Pour all of the cycle, or stress zyme on the filters every 10-15 minutes untill you run out. Costs about 20 bucks that way...but talk about a kickstart.....My 150 is almost stable and I've only had water in it for about oh say....2 days maybe...heh. I've on'y got a small reading of .2 ammonia

 

[Fishy1954]

Wow, That sounds great. Anybody else ever think of this?

Thanks