Tank Won't Start Cycling

[radagast89]

Hi! I'm reentering the hobby after a very long time with a 29 gallon planted community tank. Since I'm going to be introducing multiple species of fish, I also picked up a 10 gallon quarantine tank, and I set them both up about 2 weeks ago. The 29 gallon is nearly done cycling (fishless), but the 10 gallon will not even start.

I added Tetra SafeStart on day 1.

I dosed with ammonium chloride to 2ppm.

The tank is around 81.5F to make the bacteria happy.

The top is off.

I don't have any substrate, but I've added some PVC pipe fittings as hiding spots and a couple of fake plants, so there's surface area.

I have introduced rocks from the nearly cycled 29, even putting one in the filter.

The pH is 7.4.

It has a Tetra Whisper 10i internal filter and an airstone.

I'm on a well, so there's no chlorine, but I conditioned the water anyway.

I feel like I've done everything right, and the same basic formula worked brilliantly on the 29 gallon. They're in the same room, even. Does anyone have any thoughts on what's going wrong?

 

[radagast89]

We Have Nitrite!

I took a dirty sponge from the filter on my 29 gallon and squeezed it into the filter on the quarantine tank, and that worked. I saw the first indication of nitrite a few hours later.

 

[Delapool]

Sounds good - I’ve heard of them taking up to two months to cycle.