Aquarium Cycle Stuck?

[sarxlives]

Greeting everyone!

I seem to have a problem with my new aquarium setup. I currently have a 10gal tank with just gravel and a 100W heater. I have been trying to get this tank cycled but I seem to been stuck at multiple spots. At first I added fish-food (fish-less cycle btw) and the Ammonia spiked to 2.0ppm, great start. However, from there it got complicated. After a week only a small amount of nitrite was present in the water 0.50ppm to be exact but I could not find any Nitrate. After doing two water changes, the Ammonia appears to now be stuck at 2.0ppm. Currently the PH of the water is 7.5, the temperature is 80F and I'm using a mechanical filter. I also added some Tetra Safestart a few days ago but the only change I see is that there is nitrate in the water but the Ammonia hasn't decreased at all. Getting frustrated

Btw: This cycling has been going on for about a month and atleast a week at this point. Also the temperature may had been too high at one point (100F) but I have brought it down.

Any help is appreciated!

[Calikenny]

I have never had a tank at 100F and I have never had a fishless cycle.

How I do it, for a 10 gallon, is get 5-7 small feeder goldfish. They are 16 cents a piece and will get your tank cycled. Unplug your heater for now. These fish will die with a heater on. Then watch the cycle unfold. This is a legit method, not fishless, but it works. I am only providing you an alternative.

[Aiken Drum]

Originally Posted by Calikenny

I have never had a tank at 100F and I have never had a fishless cycle.

How I do it, for a 10 gallon, is get 5-7 small feeder goldfish. They are 16 cents a piece and will get your tank cycled. Unplug your heater for now. These fish will die with a heater on. Then watch the cycle unfold. This is a legit method, not fishless, but it works. I am only providing you an alternative.

While this might work, and you might call it legit, using fish you don't intend to keep to cycle a tank is hardly ethical. What are your plans for the goldfish when they are done cycling your tank? Just let them die? Feed them to a predatory fish? Here in the UK, while using feeder fish isnt explicitly specified as being illegal there are animal cruelty laws that could be used to prosecute against such practice.

[Calikenny]

Originally Posted by Aiken Drum

While this might work, and you might call it legit, using fish you don't intend to keep to cycle a tank is hardly ethical. What are your plans for the goldfish when they are done cycling your tank? Just let them die? Feed them to a predatory fish? Here in the UK, while using feeder fish isnt explicitly specified as being illegal there are animal cruelty laws that could be used to prosecute against such practice.

Are you trying to find and push my buttons? It is not working. I never said what I was going to do the fish. Animal cruelty? I could imply many things about you but I won't. I am new here. This is only my second post. I hope we can see eye to eye on the next subject. And by the way, I am giving the fish to my good friends niece.

[EdgySatsuma]

Originally Posted by Calikenny

Are you trying to find and push my buttons? It is not working. I never said what I was going to do the fish. Animal cruelty? I could imply many things about you but I won't. I am new here. This is only my second post. I hope we can see eye to eye on the next subject. And by the way, I am giving the fish to my good friends niece.

Using fish to cycle a tank is still inherently cruel as it subjects them to high levels of toxins. Imagine being made to suffocate in your own filth.

[Aiken Drum]

Originally Posted by EdgySatsuma

Using fish to cycle a tank is still inherently cruel as it subjects them to high levels of toxins. Imagine being made to suffocate in your own filth.

Just to be clear here. Fish in cycle isnt cruel if done properly, the fish wont be subject to high levels of toxins and wont suffocate in their own filth. I have no issues with anyone cycling using fish if done properly.

My issue was that using feeder goldfish to cycle a tank is commonly done by simply putting goldfish in a tank, when they die add some more, when they stop dying your tank is cycled and any surviving goldfish is then surplus to requirements. My issue is using fish that you dont intend to keep.

The guy (or girl) who i responded to answered my concern and has a plan for the fish in question, so as long as the fish in cycle is done properly and the fish in turn are looked after properly long term, then there is very minimal risk to the fishes health and wellbeing.

[Calikenny]

FYI..I test my tank water daily. Plus I do a 25% water change at least everyday or every other day. I have no intention of killing these fish.