No cycle after 4 months? Clorine?

[jwh0818]

So your saying to take the carbon granules out of the floss bag? I'm not sure I get why. The carbon is not gonna kill the Bactria we want, but it might detoxify the ammo. At least that would be my thought.
I may need 1 more strong agreement with this idea before I pass it along. But I'm open.

EXACTLY! The ammo is needed so the bb grows off killing it turning it into nitrates

 

[Mebbid]

EXACTLY! The ammo is needed so the bb grows off killing it turning it into nitrates

The ammonia removing properties of carbon are minimal at best and there will always be a residual amount of ammonia in the water no mater how much carbon is in it which will be plenty to grow BB from.

 

[Normalnot1]

EXACTLY! The ammo is needed so the bb grows off killing it turning it into nitrates

But the carbon will DETOXIFY it, not remove it.
Oh well, thank you.
I will file this in my "cabinet of knowledge" thanks.
But I think leaving it in is a better plan for me. I've always used it and always had good feelings about it. But thank you.

Ok, so at what level should ammonia be kept at to get it to cycle?
And might it be good to try some filtered water instead of the tap water that has so much chlorine?

 

[Normalnot1]

Ok, we found the report online. Listed for disinfectants they say
Chlorine Dioxide avg 0.22 mg per liter
With a range of N/D to .61 mg per liter

They also list:
Chlorine Residual. Avg .80 mg per liter
Range of N/D - 2.0 mg per liter

I am horrible with math, so I'm hoping someone else here isn't!

And, since she did the 60%+ water change, she finally got the Prime. However, since I was driving down the hwy, i was of little help, we got confused about dosage so, she put in a full 5 ml! Into her ten gal tank. It wasn't till I just got home that I recognized the error. The fish look fine, so we hope they will be ok.
She tested tonight and all parameter are the same, except ammo which tested a lime green, .5 - 1.0
I told her not to do any more tonight. Hopefully, one of the folks here have some ideas.
Blessings
So, anyone?

Ok, so I found out that MG per Liter is the same as Ppm.
So, the tap water has an average of .80 PPM of chlorine. That seems high.
Will Prime completely take care of this?

 

[jwh0818]

Ok, so I found out that MG per Liter is the same as Ppm.
So, the tap water has an average of .80 PPM of chlorine. That seems high.
Will Prime completely take care of this?

Yes prime is suppose to clear that up. If its not you can add a bit more to help

 

[Mebbid]

It should. But if you are worried about it you can always double the dose of the prime. It can be safe to do up to a 5x treatment.

My chlorine level is up to .4-.8ppm and I've never had any issues.

 

[Darkseid76]

I don't think anyone has asked this but when are you testing after adding the prime?

I've heard/read that prime can give a false ammo reading but I've never tested this myself.

After a PWC I would test at least 24-48 hours later.

 

[Mebbid]

It's the 0 nitrate reading that's the issue rather than the ammonia reading. If the tank was cycled there would at least be trace amounts of nitrate.

 

[Lynx99]

I just got a bottle of Prime and it indeed states that using prime can skew ammonia/ammonium test results as prime binds the ammonia so its harmless to the fish, but bound ammonia will still show on a test.

 

[luvmyfishies16]

Hey everybody! I started my own account so I don't have to relay through my mom. (Thanks ma!) Ok, so the issue is that I am still testing 0 on both nitrates and nitrites. I have the ammonia so I'm not understanding why I still haven't cycled. To clarify, my tank isn't 4 months old. I set it up right before memorial day so middle of may. I was doing water changes basically everyday in the beginning, however I was told that was slowing down the process. So I let it go for almost a week and tested it and the ammonia was at like 8.0 ppm, a dark green. I did a 50% wc and that brought it down to 4.0, I waited another day and did another wc. Its been around 1.0 ppm for the last few weeks. It fluctuates slightly but not more than 2.0 ppm. My nitrites always test 0 ppm a pretty light blue color. My nitrates always test 0ppm as well, a bright yellow color. No orange. And yes I do th test right I shake the bottle nd th test tube vigorously. Now from my understanding the presence of any ammonia is enough to the bacteria to grow. So why haven't I cycled? I was using tetra aqua safe plus for when I did my water changes. I just started using prime instead. I was given some filter media from an established tank at the fish store that had about 20 cichlids. It was about 45 min before I was able to get home. I floated it in the tank for about 10 min as instructed by the guy at the store. Then I put it in my filter . That was about 3 weeks ago. He also told me to get this stuff called florin bactin and put 40 drops in my filter everyday for two weeks. I did for about a week but then got the prime so I'm not sure if I should still use it. I don overfeed my fish, I've been giving them just a little every other day. I tested my tap water for ammonia and it tests zero. The fish seem happy the white clouds are active, and so is the Molly. Their coloring is normal. They eat with no problem and don't see any abnormal behavior. I want to get some shrimp and more fish but I have to cycle first. Any other suggestions?

 

[luvmyfishies16]

Oh and I test before the water change, and after I used the prime I waited 48 hours to test again. I tested again tonight ammonia was between 1 and 2 ppm, 0 nitrates, 0 nitrates. Did a 25% wc.

 

[Mebbid]

Hey everybody! I started my own account so I don't have to relay through my mom. (Thanks ma!) Ok, so the issue is that I am still testing 0 on both nitrates and nitrites. I have the ammonia so I'm not understanding why I still haven't cycled. To clarify, my tank isn't 4 months old. I set it up right before memorial day so middle of may. I was doing water changes basically everyday in the beginning, however I was told that was slowing down the process. So I let it go for almost a week and tested it and the ammonia was at like 8.0 ppm, a dark green. I did a 50% wc and that brought it down to 4.0, I waited another day and did another wc. Its been around 1.0 ppm for the last few weeks. It fluctuates slightly but not more than 2.0 ppm. My nitrites always test 0 ppm a pretty light blue color. My nitrates always test 0ppm as well, a bright yellow color. No orange. And yes I do th test right I shake the bottle nd th test tube vigorously. Now from my understanding the presence of any ammonia is enough to the bacteria to grow. So why haven't I cycled? I was using tetra aqua safe plus for when I did my water changes. I just started using prime instead. I was given some filter media from an established tank at the fish store that had about 20 cichlids. It was about 45 min before I was able to get home. I floated it in the tank for about 10 min as instructed by the guy at the store. Then I put it in my filter . That was about 3 weeks ago. He also told me to get this stuff called florin bactin and put 40 drops in my filter everyday for two weeks. I did for about a week but then got the prime so I'm not sure if I should still use it. I don overfeed my fish, I've been giving them just a little every other day. I tested my tap water for ammonia and it tests zero. The fish seem happy the white clouds are active, and so is the Molly. Their coloring is normal. They eat with no problem and don't see any abnormal behavior. I want to get some shrimp and more fish but I have to cycle first. Any other suggestions?

So you're the op?

Have you tried testing your pH yet? Too low of a pH can and will stall a cycle. It's not surprising that they are acting normal since you're doing such a good job with the water changes.

 

[luvmyfishies16]

I just tested my ph and it shows 7.8. I do water changes only a few times a week.

 

[Mebbid]

I just tested my ph and it shows 7.8. I do water changes only a few times a week.

How often do you change your filter pad?

 

[luvmyfishies16]

I've changed it once since I set it up in may. And that had to have been beginning of June, so not since then. My mom said not to because that's where the bacteria will grow. I just rinse the big stuff off but not often.

 

[Normalnot1]

Hello My Daughter! So happy to see you've taken this over. So much gets lost in translation.
I shall introduce you, and back away.
Fish friends, my beautiful and smart daughter! Jen. And Jen, my fishy friends!

 

[Gsdsar]

I've changed it once since I set it up in may. And that had to have been beginning of June, so not since then. My mom said not to because that's where the bacteria will grow. I just rinse the big stuff off but not often.

What do you rinse it off with?

 

[brybell]

maybe some more experienced people can back me up on this...

However I think it could be that you changed the filter. did you wash it or replace it completely?

Either way, you could have washed all the bacteria off it, which caused your tank to kind of stall...

 

[Darkseid76]

Well I can't think of anything she is doing wrong.

My only idea is to get a separate new ammonia test kit and try that. If you get the same results then you know that it's not a faulty kit you're using.

Also try a gravel vac just in case there is too much decaying organic matter in your substrate.

 

[Mebbid]

maybe some more experienced people can back me up on this...

However I think it could be that you changed the filter. did you wash it or replace it completely?

Either way, you could have washed all the bacteria off it, which caused your tank to kind of stall...

Changing the filter would have done it. If it was washed off in old tank water than it wouldn't have mattered the bacteria are pretty thoroughly stuck onto the pads.

Well I can't think of anything she is doing wrong.

My only idea is to get a separate new ammonia test kit and try that. If you get the same results then you know that it's not a faulty kit you're using.

Also try a gravel vac just in case there is too much decaying organic matter in your substrate.

Decaying organic matter would help the process along. I can't see this as being much of an issue either.


My best guess on what's going on here is that the multiple weekly water changes are knocking the nitrates down into levels that aren't readable. That along with an underfilitered tank should be the only logical reasons that you are still seeing ammonia.

I've seen no issues with technique, water supply, or tank parameters that would cause an issue like this.