Is 3 months the time to quit?

[Chuck_C]

Hi all,

I'm new to the forum and to fish keeping. I ask for your grace in dealing with me, as I'm sure I've made plenty of mistakes.

I have a 29 freshwater gallon tank, gravel substrate, some fake plants, and 5 serpae tetra from a reputable local shop in the greater Chicago area. We lost 2 around the 2-week mark, so we have 3 left.

Three months in, I'm still stuck in the ammonia phase. Been there solidly since week 4. I've tried partial water changes (weeks 5 and 6) and TurboStart (week 9). Both helped lower the ammonia temporarily.

I have a hang-on-the-back filter, and the guy from the store sold me a new cartridge 3 weeks ago to go in front that supposedly helps control the ammonia. No help, though I realize that changing even part of the filter system may have been ill-advised.

pH = 7.8, Ammonia = 2.0, no nitrites/nitrates ever. Using API liquid kit to test. Following all instructions to the "t". Had a bloom of diatoms for weeks 4-8. No have a bloom of green algae, though the tank gets no direct sunlight and I only keep the tank light on for 2-3 hours a day.

Is it time to throw in the proverbial towel, give the fish back, and start over doing a fish-less cycle?

 

[Aiken Drum]

Absolutely not.

You do need to do more water changes though. 2ppm ammonia is to high. You havent changed any water for nearly 2 months?

Do 2 x 50% water changes a few hours apart to get the water safe. You want ammonia around 0.5ppm. See how long it takes to elevate again, do water changes sufficient to get ammonia down whenever it creeps up above that target. Freshwater could also replenish carbonate hardness which is needed for your cycle to function.

Are your fish showing any signs of ill health?

Keep us informed on progress.

 

[Chuck_C]

Thanks Aiken! Multiple people at the aquatic shop have told me not to do anymore water changes, or blamed me for prolonging the cycle by doing them. So I got scared off.

Yes the fish sometimes look pale and appear sluggish.

 

[Aiken Drum]

Your target should be ammonia + nitrite combined no higher than 0.5ppm. You arent seeing any nitrite, so at the moment 0.5ppm ammonia is where you want to be.

This is enough waste to be relatively safe for fish while still leaving to cycle a tank.

Take a read through post #7. That gives a more detailed process than my quick post here, gives some advice on speeding up your cycle too.

https://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f17/black-moor-new-fish-owner-380029.html

Keep us informed on how things go.

 

[C.w.deegan]

Don't always belive people at your lfs they want to sell you more fish and more supplies I learned this first had with my lfs when I first started 3 years ago to them your someone they can sell more fish to or a new filter etc when things are not working they would rather sell you a product then help you get your tank healthy. When I first started and didnt know anything about a cycle my lfs owner told me all I needed was a bottle of safe start and my tank would be cycled and ready for fish... let's just say I lost quite a few fish before I figured out what was wrong and why my fish kept dying a day or 2 after I bought them

 

[Peartree]

Hi i am new to this myself so have had problems. I must ask do you use UV in your filtering? Because that will kill off all bacteria good and bad so there will be nothing to feed on the ammonia. Otherwise it should go ammonia nitrite nitrate and if that were so you will have to do more or bigger water changes
cheers Paul