Month old tank shows NO signs of cycling

[wicked_chicken]

Hello Everyone,

Long story short, I had an aquarium for a while as a kid years ago, and recently decided I wanted something lively around my place. After doing tons of reading, I took the plunge on a 26 gallon bow front aquarium. I knew about cycling, both fishless and with fish, and decided I wanted to attempt a cycle with fish.

Before I get into details, more about the tank:

26 Gallons
Aquaclear 110 filter
Tempature maintained at ~75 degrees
Ph ~ 7.6 (I have hard water, GH around 120ish)

I elected to utilize three platy's (2 Red Swag and a Twin Bar). I realize that cycles take time, but I have yet to see ANY nitrites whatsoever. At first I was using the "all in one" strips to tests, and recently decided that a liquid based test kit would be more accurate (it is, in fact, much easier for me to read, anyway).

Last week, I had a nasty breakout of ick. Unbeknownst to me, the Twinbar has given birth, which I believe shocked the tank into a condition ripe for an encounter with parasites. Previously, the tank was RODI water, without salt. After more reading, I elected to treat the Ich with aquarium salt and a higher than normal temp (~82) as I did not want to introduce meds into a fledgling bio filter.

I lost a single fish to Ich (Whom I suspect was the carrier), and everythings else is looking much, much better. I did a 75% change yesterday and did a thorough gravel vacuuming job. Initially, I treated the water with Tetra Safestart, and I treated the water I added yesterday with it as well.

Am I doing something wrong? Did the hypersalinity treatment I used to clear up the Ick set me back?

 

[LyndaB]

What are your readings now? You were right to get rid of the strips.

Typically, cycling takes 4-6 weeks.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Hello Everyone,

Long story short, I had an aquarium for a while as a kid years ago, and recently decided I wanted something lively around my place. After doing tons of reading, I took the plunge on a 26 gallon bow front aquarium. I knew about cycling, both fishless and with fish, and decided I wanted to attempt a cycle with fish.

Before I get into details, more about the tank:

26 Gallons
Aquaclear 110 filter
Tempature maintained at ~75 degrees
Ph ~ 7.6 (I have hard water, GH around 120ish)

I elected to utilize three platy's (2 Red Swag and a Twin Bar). I realize that cycles take time, but I have yet to see ANY nitrites whatsoever. At first I was using the "all in one" strips to tests, and recently decided that a liquid based test kit would be more accurate (it is, in fact, much easier for me to read, anyway).

Last week, I had a nasty breakout of ick. Unbeknownst to me, the Twinbar has given birth, which I believe shocked the tank into a condition ripe for an encounter with parasites. Previously, the tank was RODI water, without salt. After more reading, I elected to treat the Ich with aquarium salt and a higher than normal temp (~82) as I did not want to introduce meds into a fledgling bio filter.

I lost a single fish to Ich (Whom I suspect was the carrier), and everythings else is looking much, much better. I did a 75% change yesterday and did a thorough gravel vacuuming job. Initially, I treated the water with Tetra Safestart, and I treated the water I added yesterday with it as well.

Am I doing something wrong? Did the hypersalinity treatment I used to clear up the Ick set me back?

Hi and welcome to AA!
Good for you for doing research! Well done!
Are you still using the RO/DI water by any chance? Are you adding anything else to the water?

 

[KJurgelewicz]

Wicked, take a look at this thread. I am in almost the exact situation you were in, minues the Ich.

http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/f15/6-weeks-no-nitrites-180923.html

I just poured in a bottle of Tetra StartSmart and am waiting for Seachem Replenish to come in since I had to order it online.

 

[librarygirl]

How long exactly have you been cycling the tank? Nitrites typically take about 3 weeks on average to show. Once ammonia stays at 0 on its own consistently then nitrites usually follow. Are you still seeing ammonia?

Also if your'e using pure RODI water you're going to need to add minerals to it like RO Rite or Seachem Replenish. Pure RODI water is like distilled water: it's not only stripped of toxins but minerals too, and fish need minerals to survive.

 

[wicked_chicken]

Minerals may be the problem. I'm still seeing ammonia, but nothing else. I'll give that a shot. I also looked into the thread mentioned above. After doing some reading, I may try those active cube filters a try.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Minerals may be the problem. I'm still seeing ammonia, but nothing else. I'll give that a shot. I also looked into the thread mentioned above. After doing some reading, I may try those active cube filters a try.

Is there any reason why you aren't using you tap water in your tank?

 

[wicked_chicken]

Local water sources are EXTREMELY hard, and the PH is higher than I'd like (~8.6). I'd also read that chlorine would be problematic.

 

[wicked_chicken]

Also, does aquarium salt not add trace elements? I thought that it did.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Local water sources are EXTREMELY hard, and the PH is higher than I'd like (~8.6). I'd also read that chlorine would be problematic.

Most fish can adapt to higher pH and hardness(except for sensitive fish like discus). I know of some on here who keep there fish at 8.4-8.8. You can just buy a dechlorinator. I use Prime. It's concentrated and a little goes a long way.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Also, does aquarium salt not add trace elements? I thought that it did.

As far as I know it's just salt. Not needed for fresh water fish except for a treatment (like during ich infection). There are products you can buy to restore the minerals. I think ones called RORite. Librarygirl would know she uses it.

 

[wicked_chicken]

Hmm, I'll look into it. I'd been considering purchasing a Rodi unit, as I'd like to expand to another/larger planted aquarium in the future, but that is a ways out. Hmmmm... Precisely what minerals are needed for the cycle?

 

[Mumma.of.two]

If your worried about the pH and hardness you could use a combination of dechlorinated tap water and the RO water.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

Hmm, I'll look into it. I'd been considering purchasing a Rodi unit, as I'd like to expand to another/larger planted aquarium in the future, but that is a ways out. Hmmmm... Precisely what minerals are needed for the cycle?

What minerals precisely? No idea sorry lol. A planted tank would do better with tap water than RO water IMO.

 

[wicked_chicken]

That's how I initially started the tank, about a 50/50 mix. All my subsequent pwc's have been culligan, about 20%, minus the 75% I did yesterday to remove dead ick remains.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

That's how I initially started the tank, about a 50/50 mix. All my subsequent pwc's have been culligan, about 20%, minus the 75% I did yesterday to remove dead ick remains.

Culligan?

 

[librarygirl]

Minerals aren't needed if you use tap water as minerals are in there. If you use stripped water like RO/RODI water there's nothing in there so you have to re-add them. The fish (and the bacteria needed to cycle) need minerals so that could be why the cycle isn't progressing. I'd pick one water source and stick with it; fish don't like fluctuations or sudden changes.

Your PH isn't extremely high; as was mentioned unless you are keeping Discus your PH should be fine. Fish can adapt to most PH's as long as it's stable. It's up to you whether you want to use tap (easier and cheaper) or an RO/DI mix with tap or pure RODI (you'd need to add minerals) but as I said just choose one and stay with it.

 

[wicked_chicken]

Librarygirl,

Can you provide more information on adding minerals? What do you use? What minerals am I looking for? Any information along those lines would be great.

 

[librarygirl]

Librarygirl,

Can you provide more information on adding minerals? What do you use? What minerals am I looking for? Any information along those lines would be great.

Sure, I'll impart the limited knowledge I have lol. In my case, I tried cycling two tanks for over four months without success, even using seeded media from two established tanks. I changed tanks, substrate, filters, dechlorinator; basically changed out everything from the first tank to the second (in case something was just odd with the first tank) and neither tank cycled. The only thing I didn't change was my water source. My water was rated #1 in country a year or two ago; whether that is related I don't know, but I and another member of the forum here thought there might be something in or lacking from my tap water that was hindering the cycle. I changed to spring water and started adding RO Rite and my tank cycled in three weeks. I'm back to using tap water now and so far my cycle is holding but I do add a small amount of RO Rite with every second water change. Whether it's helping I have no idea, but I'm afraid to stop lol.

Now in normal cases for freshwater tanks, tap water is all that's needed as it contains the minerals that fish need. So usually it isn't necessary. If you want to use RO water though, you'd have to re-add the minerals. Salt for FW isn't the same as the salt for SW so the usual salt used for FW doesn't add all of the minerals that the fish would need if using stripped water in the tank.

RO Rite adds things like magnesium, calcium, and potassium with other minor and trace minerals (from my bottle of RO Rite). Things that are already in tap water usually.

So if you're going to use just tap water, you shouldn't need minerals. If you're going to use some tap and some RODI water (at least 50% tap I think) then you shouldn't need the minerals either. BUT if you're going to use nothing but RO/RODI water, you'd have to.

I hope this makes sense (and that I didn't say anything incorrect; this is just based on my knowledge and experience so far).

 

[wicked_chicken]

So, an update:

After doing a lot of thinking, I ordered both RORite and active filters from AngelsPlus. I ordered 2 3" cubes. I installed them in the tank on 12/8 and took initial measurements:

Ammonia .25 ppm
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

Today, I also took measurements.

Ammonia .25 ppm
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0

I also dosed the aquarium with RO Rite, to assist the active filters in case my attempted cycle had failed due to lack of mineral composition.

Here's to the waiting game!