Fishless Cycle Stalled?

[Scottie42585]

Hello everyone! I am new to this site but have frequently visited in the past for info. I started a fishless cycle a few weeks ago and everything seemed to be going great...ammonia would quickly drop after adding it, never seemed to have any nitrites or nitrates. I added plants during the cycle and they are flourising. I added 4 fish to the tank after a few weeks (when all the numbers were 0) and all of them died within 24 hours. I assumed the cycle wasn't complete so I continued to add the ammonia. Ammonia quickly was reduced to 0 and nitrite was 0 and nitrate was minimal. 3 days ago I added ammonia and as of this evening it still wasn't reduced to 0. I was away for a day, but I don't think that would have been long enough for the bacteria to die without any ammonia? I am stumped as to why it seems my cycle as stalled. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[jlk]

Hi! Welcome to AA!!! When was the last time you did a water change/how much? Can you test your tanks ph & let us know what this reads?

 

[librarygirl]

No, one day wouldn't have been long enough to starve the bacteria. What's the PH of the tank? PH drops are common during cycling and can cause the cycle to stall if they get too low. You should be starting the nitrite phase; once ammonia starts dropping, nitrites tend to show (usually in week 3-4 on average), so you're only about halfway through. Also what size tank? Unless ammonia was crazy high the fish shouldn't have died from toxin poisoning within 24 hours; perhaps they were sick when you got them or they weren't acclimated properly.

 

[Scottie42585]

PH just tested to 7.6. I have a 55 gallon tank. I did a water change last weekend and I just did another one this evening. As for the fish, I did forget to reduce the heat (I had it about 86 during the cycle) from the cycle until just as I was adding the fish. I added the bag and waited a while and then added the fish. Whether this is the correct way to do so or not, I don't know, but I have done this in the past with no problems. Oh and both water changes were about 50%. Thanks again for the help.

 

[jlk]

Hmm... a bit odd. Is there any chance you forgot dechlorinator/conditioner when you did your water changes? Or perhaps overdosed on the ammonia? Just a suggestion for future fish, try drip acclimating them. Allowing just the temperature to equalize is not sufficient. Drip acclimation will allow them to adjust gradually to your water parameters. Check out U-Tube for how-to videos.