Just Another Fish Guy
Aquarium Advice Activist
Hey guys!
I really need some help. I have been fishless cycling my tank since March 26th. My current tank is 60 gallons with a sand substrate and two Emperor 400 power filters (I am running all 4 bio-wheels). I originally dosed the tank up to about 5-6ppm of Ammonia and let it drop to around 1ppm before dosing it again.
My Nitrites began to spike above 5ppm and every time my Ammonia dropped to around .25ppm, I would dose up to 4ppm. I have never seen 4ppm of Ammonia drop to 0ppm within 12 hours. It was recommended that I do a 50% water change to bring the Nitrite levels down...which I did.
I went out of town last weekend, came back on Sunday afternoon and tested. My results showed 0ppm for Ammonia and Nitrites and 5ppm for Nitrates. I thought that was good, so I dosed Ammonia back to 2ppm to see if it would process it over night. When I woke up in the morning, the Ammonia only dropped to around .25ppm and I had 0ppm Nitrites and still only 5ppm Nitrates.
So we get to yesterday and the Ammonia was still at .25ppm, so I dosed back up to 2ppm and when I just tested now, it's only down to 1ppm, 0ppm Nitrites and still 5pm Nitrates.
I had the tank at 87 degrees with an airstone, but dropped it down last night to 78 because I thought maybe the water was too warm and there wasn't enough oxygen. The tank is now very cloudy (which I am assuming is a bacterial bloom).
I don't know what to do from here. It just seems like the Ammonia bacteria just aren't processing. I'm really wanting to add some fish since I've been going at this for over two months now.
Any ideas or advice will be greatly appreciated!!
I really need some help. I have been fishless cycling my tank since March 26th. My current tank is 60 gallons with a sand substrate and two Emperor 400 power filters (I am running all 4 bio-wheels). I originally dosed the tank up to about 5-6ppm of Ammonia and let it drop to around 1ppm before dosing it again.
My Nitrites began to spike above 5ppm and every time my Ammonia dropped to around .25ppm, I would dose up to 4ppm. I have never seen 4ppm of Ammonia drop to 0ppm within 12 hours. It was recommended that I do a 50% water change to bring the Nitrite levels down...which I did.
I went out of town last weekend, came back on Sunday afternoon and tested. My results showed 0ppm for Ammonia and Nitrites and 5ppm for Nitrates. I thought that was good, so I dosed Ammonia back to 2ppm to see if it would process it over night. When I woke up in the morning, the Ammonia only dropped to around .25ppm and I had 0ppm Nitrites and still only 5ppm Nitrates.
So we get to yesterday and the Ammonia was still at .25ppm, so I dosed back up to 2ppm and when I just tested now, it's only down to 1ppm, 0ppm Nitrites and still 5pm Nitrates.
I had the tank at 87 degrees with an airstone, but dropped it down last night to 78 because I thought maybe the water was too warm and there wasn't enough oxygen. The tank is now very cloudy (which I am assuming is a bacterial bloom).
I don't know what to do from here. It just seems like the Ammonia bacteria just aren't processing. I'm really wanting to add some fish since I've been going at this for over two months now.
Any ideas or advice will be greatly appreciated!!