tank not cycling after 3 mos.

[danger diabolik]

Starting back into the hobby after several years. I have a 40 Gal that I started up 3/16. After I ran it for a day or two I added 2 blue gouramis and an algea sucker. Ive been watching the tank pretty closely for the past 3 mos and do regular water changes to try and keep everything going smoothly but the ammonia just wont go down.

It has regularly tested at 8.0ppm despite a series of large (50%) and modest (25ish%) water changes. Nitrite tested at .25 for a day and something close to .50 a few days later but is now reading 0. Nitrates read at something between 0 and 5.0 a few days ago but is now reading 0 as well. Ammonia holding steady at 8. I keep doing water changes and adding ammo lock every few days.

Fish are acting normal and Ive cut their feeding down to every other day as per advice of a friend. I vacuume the gravel often (every few days) but can't seem to get out of this ammonia rut. Never had this problem in previous tanks so I'm out of ideas! It went through a period of cloudiness over the past week but cleared up and the past 4 days has been crystal clear. Any advice would be great.

Here are the particulars:
40Gal
Gravel substrate
several plastic plant decorations
Whisper power 60
marineland duel temp heater (200w)

chemicals (API mega test kit type)
pH: 6.6
Ammonia: 8.0
NitrAte: 0
NitrIte: 0
Temp: 77F

 

[rich311k]

Have your LFS do an ammonia test for you. I doubt those fish would create that much waste, if you are doing regular water changes. I doubt they would survive that kind of ammonia level, Something is not right here.

What kind of test kit are you using? Have you tested your tap water before and after dechlor?

 

[NeonJulie]

I don't think fish would be acting normal at all, with prolonged levels like that...

It seems interesting that there's no NitrAtes after so many months as well. Does sounds like a "fishy" (AHAHA) test kit problem?

 

[danger diabolik]

Using one of the aquarium pharmacuticals all test kit (the big $40 one)

just tested the tap water. reading 0 before and after dechlor. Ive been using API declorinator (stress zyme i think?). I just started using it the LFS recommended it before I was using Aqua Safe.

 

[LandGhoti]

Sorry to ask this question, but I'm confused about the time lapse here. You say the tank has been up and running since 3/16, but that the cycle is stalled after 3 months. It is not even 5/16, so that would make the tank up and running for just under 2 months.

I know plecos are big poopers, but I don't think that and your two other fish would amount to that much ammonia WITH the water changes you're doing. However, when I first started my tank up this past October, I unfortunately started cycling with fish before understanding the nitrogen cycle, and my ammonia tested at >8 after several weeks of my fishy cycle going. I consistently tested at >8 for at least a week and did daily water changes and it still wouldn't go down. After a week, it was zero and I saw nitrites. When I lost all my fish in a power outage after 2 months, the tank was just finishing up the cycle. (I have since restarted the tank and did a fishless cycle.) So it does take a long time, and if you've only been up and running for less than two months, I think that is probably more normal than not.

Cycling with fish makes it take much, much longer because in order to keep the ammonia down, you do water changes (which you're doing), thus making it take longer for the nitrItes to spike. Plus, if you're cleaning the gravel, you're cleaning up potential places for the nitrifying bacteria to be roosting, thus keeping the ammonia spiked because the bacteria find somewhere to roost (gravel), but then you vacuum it up.

I suggest NOT cleaning your gravel, but continue to do water changes and see what happens with your ammonia.

 

[Fishyfanatic]

Your test kit could be old. It may have been sitting on the shelf for quite a while before you bought it. I'd have your lfs re-test using a liquid reagent kit. I'd also pick up a new one if your level is different. You can get them at Petsmart by price matching their online price. It's about $15. LFS is notorious for overcharging. I spent $40 for my first one too, then found www.bigalsonline.com

 

[danger diabolik]

Ooops! Typod. I meant 2/16.

Well the LFS tested the ammonia levels at just barely under 8.0ppm so I guess the test kit is still ok but it still seems weird that the fish aren't upset at all. The ammo lock at work? Guess Ill try holding off on vacuuming the gravel for a while and continue the water changes - see what happens.

 

[LandGhoti]

AmmoLock does neutralize the ammonia, although one dose for your size tank will not do much to lower it from 8.0 to acceptable levels. And even though the ammonia is neutralized it will still show up when you test the water. So you may not actually be at 8.0, but 6.0 or 4.0 with the neutralized ammonia still showing up. The only really effective way to get rid of ammonia and accurately monitor the level is by doing water changes; that way there are no chemicals masking neutralized ammonia.

HTH.