Fishless cycle no change after 2.5 weeks

[coolfishguy12]

I'm doing a fishless cycle to prep my tank before adding fish. My setup is as follows (all equipment is brand new):

• 10g tank
• Marina Slim Filter
• Fluval 50watt heater
• Various artificial decor
• 5 Amazon sword (I think)
• Air stone

After two weeks I have the following water parameters:

• Ammonia @ 4ppm (no change)
• NitrIte @ 0ppm
• NitrAte @ 0ppm
• pH @ ~7.8
• Temperature @ 82 Fahrenheit
• Municipal water tests show the water is medium hard

I set up the tank, conditioned the water with Seachem Prime and dosed the tank with 5% ammonia solution to 4ppm (Old Country brand ammonia). A call to the chemical company confirmed the ammonia has no additives, and my research showed that others used it in their cycles. A small bit of fish food was also added. Unfortunately no seeding material from an established tank was available.

After 1.5 weeks, no change was observed. Water tests were performed every few days with API master test kit. At this point an 80% water change was performed (with Seachem Prime) and water was dosed back to 4ppm ammonia. A bottle of Nutrifin Cycle that came with the tank was also added to see if it could kick start the process.

The bottle of Cycle made the water cloudy however no change was observed in water parameters at the 2 week mark. At this point the zeolite in the filter cartridges was taken out but care was taken to ensure that the cartridges themselves remained wet.

I am at the 2.5 week mark and still have not recorded any change in water parameters. I've ordered a bottle of Dr. Tims one and only nitrifying bacteria , it is coming in on Thursday. My plan is to essentially start over, removing most of the water, rinsing the gravel/decor again etc.

Can you please suggest things I might try to get it going or something I may be doing wrong?

 

[irdajoh]

Try lowering the dosage to 2, 4 might be the reason it's stalling out. Bottled bacteria isn't 100%; some times your buying a bottle of dead bacteria and what good is dead bacteria?!? And the oneee true piece of advice I can give is patients lol. This hobby isn't 1 2 3 done let's have fun. It takes a lot of time to get it right. Don't change your filter cartridge at all, when it's dirty your doing your weekly water change just drip it in the old tank water to get the nasty off.

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[coolfishguy12]

Try lowering the dosage to 2, 4 might be the reason it's stalling out. Bottled bacteria isn't 100%; some times your buying a bottle of dead bacteria and what good is dead bacteria?!? And the oneee true piece of advice I can give is patients lol. This hobby isn't 1 2 3 done let's have fun. It takes a lot of time to get it right. Don't change your filter cartridge at all, when it's dirty your doing your weekly water change just drip it in the old tank water to get the nasty off.

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Thanks for the response. When I get the Dr Tim's I might do a pwc to get the ammonia down around 2ppm.

Do you think I should take everything out and completely restart when I get the bottle of Dr. Tim's? From what I've read, 3 weeks with no change in ammonia is unusual.

 

[irdajoh]

I don't think that restarting will change much. Just do a 90% wc now and dose to 2 ppm, once the bottle gets to you try a small water change and add the bacteria then dose the ammo ha again. Lots of steps but you'll be building a biofilter in no time

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[coolfishguy12]

I don't think that restarting will change much. Just do a 90% wc now and dose to 2 ppm, once the bottle gets to you try a small water change and add the bacteria then dose the ammo ha again. Lots of steps but you'll be building a biofilter in no time

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What do you think the 90% wc would do at this point?

 

[irdajoh]

What do you think the 90% wc would do at this point?

As I said, "and dose to 2" .

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[irdajoh]

It's just to reset the ammoina levels so you can dose lower

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[irdajoh]

90% is steep you could do a 60 with the same results I suppose. Just have it lower than 4

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[coolfishguy12]

90% is steep you could do a 60 with the same results I suppose. Just have it lower than 4

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Thanks a lot, I might do a big water change when the Dr Tim's comes in and follow their directions on a pure ammonia fishless cycle.

 

[coolfishguy12]

Ok, just finished the restart. I did ~ 90% wc dosed ammonia to 2.0ppm and added the Dr Tims One and Only. I will update on Saturday what the readings look like. Thanks!!

 

[coolfishguy12]

No change after a few days with the doctor Tim's, I'll test again later in the week.

 

[irdajoh]

I know it must be killing you having to wait but that is the best thing you can do, just wait my frien.

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[coolfishguy12]

Last night I put a big dirty filter pad from my LFS in the filter compartment.

 

[irdajoh]

That means you've seeded your filter and that's awesome! Your tank could be fish ready now, test the water and check back in

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[coolfishguy12]

Ok I tested the water today, looks like ammonia is at 1ppm, nitrite at 0ppm, and nitrates are at 5ppm. Not really sure why theres nitrate but no nitrite. I tested my tap water before starting and it read all 0 across the board.

This would make sense if ammonia was also at zero. Any ideas why there aren't any nitrites showing up?


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[irdajoh]

No nitrites is good! Your tank is cycling with that new media. If you want to wait another day to see if ammoina drops as well

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[trennamw]

The filter pad is why you aren't seeing nitrite. Well done.


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[coolfishguy12]

Ok tested the water today, looks like things are starting to move because of the pad. See attached a plot.

 

[coolfishguy12]

Been testing for the past few days. Nitrites and Nitrates are rising out of control, and in the last day I was able to reduce 3ppm ammonia to 0ppm in only 24hrs (still not all the way to nitrate, but things are on track). In a guide I've been following it recommended doing a 50-60% wc at this point in order to restore pH buffers and bring the nitrite/nitrate back to levels you can read. Just did that and dosed ammonia back to 3ppm, I'd say we're almost there.

 

[irdajoh]

Very close, it's all downhill. Just wait to change water now

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