Dramas - Still no nitrite

[ScaredClownLoach]

Hi my ammonia has been at 0.25 for about 2 and a half weeks straight and still getting 0 nitrites and nitrate is at 0. The tank has been running for a nearly a month and all I get is ammonia with no progression. The first week running my tank I realized I was overstocked, so I got a couple of free tanks in the paper and brought some cheap filters (10gals) until my big tank is cycled.

Anywho, I just dont get it. Why am I still seeing 0 nitrites after having constant ammonia? Is the bb be lazy or what. Now the 2 tanks I got for free with neons and guppies is I have one case of finrot 3 dead already and a case of ick.

Thinking about throwing in the towel, it's just not happening. I've recently been screwed by a fish shop telling me to throw a whole 1kg bag of salt in the 55gal to help clean the gills of the fish from ick about 1month and a half ago. All it did was kill 2 of my fish and have the rest gasping onto of the water pretty much dying. Restarted the whole cycle now 3 and a half weeks on stuck on ammonia. So I've been trying to cycle my 55 gal for 2 months now.

Ideas? Starting to not care anymore and can't give away sick fish

 

[nickhendrix007]

I have done this to all my tanks and am usually cycled within a week, despite cycling usually taking 2 or more weeks:

1) Buy the BB starter fluid stuff. A bottle is cheap and youll only need a capful per 10 gallons (I think)
2) Put 2 filter pads into your filter to give a TON of surface area for the BB
3) Put in a couple large pinches of flake food
4) In 1-2 weeks you should be cycled, but, as always, only add a few fish at a time to make sure the BB can keep up. For the first week you add fish, do a 25% water change every day and add in the appropriate amount of BB from the bottle

This has always worked for me, hope it helps! Also, keep those fish quarantined. Do NOT put them in the cycling tank or else the tank will become infected!

Good luck!

 

[Coyne]

So now you have 3 different tanks doing Fish-In cycling? No wonder your frustrated... one is bad enough.

Two 10 gallons and a 55 gallon? Is that right?

What are you using to test the water and have you checked your PH yet?

 

[Matt68005]

Dont give up. I always use goldfish to cycle my tanks. It should take about a month anys. Just get a 7 dollar bottle of stress zyme and a dozen 10cents each feeder goldfish that look healthy and throw them in there. Ammonia builds up. Common goldfish can handle large ammounts of it. Hell its better than being eaten right! The ammonia should be converted to nitrate by wk 3-4 when you see algae and clear water its cycled!! Lol i still have all 12 i used to cycle my tanks. Works every time while others struggle pouring cleaning ammonia in their tank. Goldies work. Their getting big now. As for the fin rot on the guppies you can use methylene blue and an antibiotic and marine salt in a hospital tank but frankly its probably not worth it for 3 or 4 guppies. dont give up. Knowledge is power but i reccomend reading books taking notes and trying thingd yourself. Stuff on the net is not always accurate and very often confusing ir misleading.

 

[ScaredClownLoach]

Dont give up. I always use goldfish to cycle my tanks. It should take about a month anys. Just get a 7 dollar bottle of stress zyme and a dozen 10cents each feeder goldfish that look healthy and throw them in there. Ammonia builds up. Common goldfish can handle large ammounts of it. Hell its better than being eaten right! The ammonia should be converted to nitrate by wk 3-4 when you see algae and clear water its cycled!! Lol i still have all 12 i used to cycle my tanks. Works every time while others struggle pouring cleaning ammonia in their tank. Goldies work. Their getting big now. As for the fin rot on the guppies you can use methylene blue and an antibiotic and marine salt in a hospital tank but frankly its probably not worth it for 3 or 4 guppies. dont give up. Knowledge is power but i reccomend reading books taking notes and trying thingd yourself. Stuff on the net is not always accurate and very often confusing ir misleading.

Thanks for replying ive just finished cycling my 10 gal tank and my 55gal is nearly done as well. I tested it today and i had 80 nitrates and about .5ppm nitrites. How long before the 55 gal will be done do you reckon? Thanks

 

[Matt68005]

55 gallon

I dont know your setup. What kind of filters if any? Fish and how many in there? Temperature? Substrate? What if any benifical bacteria additives have you added?