Ammonia in Tank

[wltlst]

I was hoping someone could help me. I set a 180g reef tank up seven months ago. I am not running my skimmer or any form of waste removal, just moving water with sump. It still has not cycled. The ammonia is reading .25, 0 nitrites and 0 nitrates and has for about six months. I have added many different live bacteria to it. I have had fish in it for several months hoping it would jump start the cycling process. I have even added a couple of dead shrimp in the sump hoping to increase the ammonia. The levels stayed at .25 and the shrimp have rotted. Has anyone have any advice. Thank you and God Bless.

 

[Sniperhank]

How much rock and sand are in the tank?


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[wltlst]

Around 200lbs of live rock and 100lbs of crushed coral and arganite.

 

[Sniperhank]

If you have provided an uncooked shrimp for several weeks, you have been providing an ammonia source that should have cycled your tank.

 

[wltlst]

That's what I thought. Not for sure if I should empty it and start over. I have owned saltwater tanks for 20 years and have never had this problem.

 

[Sniperhank]

How old are the tests? They go bad after...5 years I think.

 

[wltlst]

They are all new. Just bought ammonia test last week.

 

[Sniperhank]

Well, I have a hard time believing that decomp isn't happening. Are you use you are using the nitrate test right? Bottles of the bacteria might have actually done something, though I am no fan on relying on such a product.

 

[wltlst]

I am having a hard time believing it too. Unless someone knows what may be happening I think I will drain it and start over. I hate to do it. I feel like there has to be some good bacteria that is keeping the ammonias down, but do not understand why ammonia is still present and why it is showing 0 nitrates.

 

[Sniperhank]

Just throw the shrimp back in and let it sit. Walk away from it for a couple of days and come back to test.