Nitrogen Cycle Advice

[mr_tee0419]

I have a relatively new tank (5 weeks) with a small Map Turtle in it. I wanted to add fish, but have not been able to get the nitrogen cycle to even start. I have adequate filtration (cascade canister filter), and have dechlorinated the water. I do have some spare bricks in the aquarium to hold up a structure for the turtle. Could this possibly be affecting the cycle in some way? My ammonia reading is very high, and my nitrate reading is zero. What should I go from here?

 

[LAGlocker]

Have you tested for your nitrites yet? The nitrates wont show up until a decent number of nitrites are in the tank feeding off the ammonia. One other thing you can try is to try to find some bio-spira and add to your tank.

 

[jsoong]

How high is high - Re; ammonia level? Extremly high ammonia can stall the cycle - kills off even the bacteria I guess.

Suggestion is to do enough water changes to keep the ammonia around 1 or less, and take it from there.

 

[Devilishturtles]

tee, just a bit of advice before I answer. I have 2 baby red ear slider turtles in a 20 gal tank. Every fish that I have put in there (on purpose, for them to eat) has gotten eaten. :? Make sure that you fish is big enough, or your turtle small enough for the fish to survive.

I second jsoong's advice. If it has been a while since you did a water change, I would do one. You ammonia levels are probaly so high that it itself is stopping, or greatly impeding, the growth of you nitrobacter. HTH!