10g tank taking ages to fishless cycle

[hb1547]

I've been working on fishless cycling my 10g tank for a while now. I started the cycling process in late September, and right now it's at the point where ammonia is dropping, but the nitrites have been slow to show up. The rate at which ammonia drops is also really low and hasn't changed in ~3 weeks -- it only ever needs ammonia once a week. The nitrites are visibly not zero (with an API test kit), yet still not even at 0.25.

I'm fine with being patient, but to me it seems like this is going slower than expected, and that it seems to have stalled has me wondering if something else is wrong.

I've been occasionally dropping in ground up fish food, and I did use a dechlorinator (for the first three weeks or so, I used betta fish drops, then I bought some seachem prime). I've also done occasional water changes to try to speed things up. I didn't use any seeding material, and I know that can slow things down.

Any advice? Do I need to be more patient, or does it seem odd that I'm only at this part of the cycle after 7 weeks?

 

[eco23]

Welcome to the site.

What's your pH level? What brand of ammonia are you using?

 

[hb1547]

I haven't checked pH in about a week, so I'll check it here and post it if it's different, but the other times I've checked it's been ~8.0.

I'm using the Ace janitorial ammonia that's mentioned in the fishless cycling guide.

 

[hb1547]

And thank you for the welcome

 

[jlk]

Hi! Welcome as well! Are you checking your water daily (amm/nitrite/nitrate) or just once a week when your adding ammonia? I followed the notion of dosing ammonia to 4ppm daily when i did a fishless cycle on my most recent tank. Do you have another cycled tank or know someone who does? Some seeded filter media, a bag of gravel (in piece of pantyhose), or even a decoration from an established tank would help the cycle along!

 

[hb1547]

I started out checking ammonia daily, with an occasional check of nitri/ates, though I slowed down in my frequency of ammonia testing once I realized the pace it was going at (I don't want to run out of solutions too soon). I've generally been letting the ammonia drop to ~1-1.5 before adding it back to four, should I try to keep it at four daily?

I'll try to ask an LFS for some filter media or anything.

 

[jlk]

I would keep it @ 4ppm daily but ill let Eco23 clarify this for me (he is the expert & helped me a great deal!). If you are unsuccessful with your lfs, google this site 'angelsplus'-they sell live, seeded filter media. I havent used them personally, but i know alot of other people on here have and were very happy with the results. Worth a try!

 

[hb1547]

Looking around on the angelsplus site, I don't seem to be able to find the seeded filter, any chance at getting a link?

 

[hb1547]

Also just checked the pH, it's around 8.4ish. Is that too high?

 

[jlk]

It depends what the ph is out of your tap. You will get the most accurate results if you let a cup of tap water sit out for 24hrs (preferably with an airstone/bubbler). Lets see how your tap measures firs & we will go from there. Send librarygirl a pm & she will give be able to help you with a link!

 

[hb1547]

The pH right from the tap is about 7.6, but after letting it sit for ~20 hours it was about 8.2.

 

[jlk]

Its about the same as mine & my fish are fine. It shouldnt affect your cycle. How are things looking today?

 

[librarygirl]

Here I am!

Here's the link: Sponge Filters for aquariums You want one of the ones that say "active" which are the seeded ones. They have a mag 4" filter or a mag 3" filter. Either one would be sufficient.

 

[hb1547]

Its about the same as mine & my fish are fine. It shouldnt affect your cycle. How are things looking today?

Seems to be about the same, I dosed it back up to four ppm. I also ordered a filter, thanks for the link! Hopefully this helps out.

 

[librarygirl]

Seems to be about the same, I dosed it back up to four ppm. I also ordered a filter, thanks for the link! Hopefully this helps out.

You could also add something like Kent's RO Rite. It adds minerals to the water. Some people have had good luck with it when they've had stubborn cycles (myself included).

 

[hb1547]

So I got the sponge filter today! I'm excited to see how it works.

I'm just not sure what's the best way to use it. Do I put it in separately from my main filter? Do I put replace the sponge in my main filter with it? From looking into it a bit, it seems like I'm supposed to have a bubbler to use the filter, but I don't have one...

 

[librarygirl]

So I got the sponge filter today! I'm excited to see how it works.

I'm just not sure what's the best way to use it. Do I put it in separately from my main filter? Do I put replace the sponge in my main filter with it? From looking into it a bit, it seems like I'm supposed to have a bubbler to use the filter, but I don't have one...

Yes usually it attaches to an air pump with an airline tube (one end of an airline tube goes into the large tube going through the sponge, and the other end of the tubing connects to an air pump). If you don't have one I guess you could cut up the sponge into pieces and try putting it into your current filter, it should still work to seed your filter media I would think. Keep the sponge wet though!

 

[ridewithme38]

Let me know how this works...i've got two of those 'activated' sponge filters on order right now!

My poor fish are going to go crazy, a bubble wall, two spongefilter/bubblers, an aquaclear 110 and a TopFin 30 all stirring up the tank!

 

[hb1547]

So I cut some of the filter up and put it in with my main filter here and there. I still have quite a bit of the active filter left (I bought the 4" one, and my main filter is only for a 20g tank anyway). Any advice on what I should do with the rest of it? I was thinking of just using the magnets to set it in the corner of the tank somewhere, or maybe putting the filter intake through the center of it or something.

Any suggestions?

 

[jlk]

It sounds like youve got a decent idea for it-if it doesnt work, just keep it in your tank! If you have an airstone or bubbler, lay the extra filter over it so it gets some extra oxygen would be my suggestion but im not really sure what the filter looks like! Good luck!!!