Something TERRIBLY WRONG

[MiamiFishy]

Hello everybody!

Now for sure I know there is something TERRIBLY wrong with my fishless cycle.
I have been cycling this 29 gal tank since 3-10-06, and maybe since I was using a different kit other than AP to test the water, but this is what I got today after I bought an AP FW TEst kit:
New AP FW Test Kit
pH: 6.4-6.2
Nitrite: 0 ( yeap, Zero )
Nitrate: 80-160 ( very red and difficult to tell difference)
Ammonia: ??? I get a deep dark dark blue, chart only goes to 8.0ppm, but its a dark green on the chart, not a deep dark dark blue? :?
Temperature: 84.1 F
Lowered it to 79 today.... probably to late right?

My concern...did I screw up my fishless cycle????
Has any one come across a moment like this before, and if so, how did you get out of it with out having to re-start from scracht...
Thank you all....PLease help!

 

[An t-iasg]

I have seen that color for ammonia before (it was not my tank water, lol, but some lfs water that I forgot to throw out and did an ammonia test on it just for fun!) Your ammonia is probably over 8.0 then. Do some water changes to get it down to around 4-5 ppm. Keep the temperature up, that will help the cycle, but turn it down before you get the fish.

You've been cycling for 3 weeks - don't worry if you don't see nitrites - it may be too early yet. I think you should do some water changes because the ammonia is too high to begin any colonization of bacteria, but I don't think you hurt anything yet.

What other kit were you using before? You could also take some water into the lfs for verification, if they don't use strips.

 

[MiamiFishy]

Thank you An t-iasg,

I was using RED SEA FW Master test kit...
What concerns me is that, while using that RED SEA kit,
my readings were
pH: 6.2 same with AP kit
Nitrite: >1.0 now AP kit its 0
Nitrate: >8.0 now AP kit its > God only knows!

Im concern because of the Nitrite falling to zero....!

When I do the water change, what conditioner should I use... its Prime ok to use in the middle of cycling... or should I use something other than Prime???

Thank you again

 

[An t-iasg]

I like the AP kit for ammonia and nitrite. For nitrate, I use the Seachem test. I couldn't distinguish between the oranges/reds in the AP kit easily either and for a planted tank, you need to know the difference!

I bought some Prime the other day. I was previously using Amquel but I can't find it easily anymore. I added some Prime to my tanks today (I didn't have any dechlor in them all week - my tanks are fishless right now). Tomorrow I plan to add some ammonia and get my cycle going! I'm going to use Prime. Treat the tapwater-new tankwater with Prime, but don't add any extra Prime to the tank to bind to the ammonia. Do a water change if the ammonia gets too high.

 

[MiamiFishy]

Thank you again...
Ill do the PWC tomorrow, to bring down ammonia to 5.ppm

Did I kill my good bacteria since the nitrite is at 0?? or its ok?

 

[noncentric]

Hi MiamiFishy, your test results are definitely odd.

I've been using the same AP kit and have had good results, although I've seen several comments that the Nitrate test really needs to be done exactly right to get accurate results...ie, must shake Bottle#2 for 30 secs, must vigorously shake the final test-tube for 1 whole min. The Ammonia and Nitrite are pretty straightforward though, so I hope your test kit isn't expired or something like that. Maybe you could test your tap water and see what results you get from that?

Also, Prime seems like a fine product and you'll definitely want to dechlorinate the water (even if there are no fish)...since chlorine and chloramine will kill the beneficial bacteria and thereby hinder the progress of the cycle.

Good luck!

 

[MiamiFishy]

Thank you noncentric,

I followed the instruction for the test... I'll re-test for nitrite and do a PWC to bring the ammonia down today.

I'm just afraid that it could be a reaction on the ammonia test to something added to the water when the cycle started. I remember using some Aquaclear for declor- the water and the recommended amount of CYCLE to boost the migrated beneficial bacteria in my aged filter.... could it be that?? With RED SEA ammonia, I get 2.5 ammo....
I'll stick to the AP kit this time... I'll repeat a test on the tap water using both kits and see if the results match.
Thanks, I definitely need the good luck!

 

[Zagz]

I would have to agree that if your ammonia is over 8.0, which it seems is likely, you have a stall in your cycle. By returning the ammonia to 5.0ppm you should be able to get things rolling again. IMO while you are still reading nitrites and ammonia, nitrate readings will not be important until after your nitrite spikes. Be patient, it can seem to take forever I know and looking at an empty tank is hard but it will be worth it!