What is wrong with my cycle???

[deven]

Hi All,

I've been fishless cycling my 20 gallon tank for some time now and appear to be getting nowhere. I am using ACE brand janitorial strength ammonia and the API freshwater master test kit. The log is attached. The ammonia appears to have been dropping a very little bit for weeks and weeks now but no nitrite or nitrate.

Any advice?? I can't figure out why it is not starting. Unfortunately, I had nothing to seed it with so was hoping nature would kick in...Should I try to add Tetra safestart or something else like that?

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Everything look to be in place to me, id give it more time

 

[librarygirl]

Ammonia is starting to drop a bit more. Your PH is fine. Did you add dechlorinator when you set up the tank? You could try a large water change to restore buffers in the water and then wait an hour or so and test ammonia (just to make sure you didnt' accidentally overdose; if you do a large water change and there's still ammonia in the tank that means you overdosed at some point which can stall things). If ammonia is good, then add enough just to get it to 2 ppms. Crush up a flake of fish food if you have it and add it to the tank to give it some phosphates. Do you have good water circulation either from an air stone or the filter splashing water into the tank? What is the temp?

 

[deven]

Thanks a lot! I am using Tetra Aquasafe to dechlorinate and have the temp up to about 86 degrees. I did a 6 gallon water change about a week or two ago thinking maybe I overdosed the ammonia, but have not done one since. I crushed up a flake of fish food and put it in the tank this morning, so hopefully that might help. I have a whole bubble bar in the back of the tank, so lots of oxygen is going in...

I guess I just have to be patient, but with no nitrates or nitrites after about 6 weeks, I thought it was worthwhile to get the opinion of the forum. Thanks for the help!!

 

[librarygirl]

Thanks a lot! I am using Tetra Aquasafe to dechlorinate and have the temp up to about 86 degrees. I did a 6 gallon water change about a week or two ago thinking maybe I overdosed the ammonia, but have not done one since. I crushed up a flake of fish food and put it in the tank this morning, so hopefully that might help. I have a whole bubble bar in the back of the tank, so lots of oxygen is going in...

I guess I just have to be patient, but with no nitrates or nitrites after about 6 weeks, I thought it was worthwhile to get the opinion of the forum. Thanks for the help!!

Every tank is different, some take longer than others. You're not changing the filter media or anything right? Also do you have a water quality report from your water company? Sometimes there's more chlorine or chloramines in the water than a normal dose of dechlorinator can handle. You could try a full water change and then double-dose dechlorinator and add a bit more fish food and redose ammonia and see if that helps. Also Prime is a really good dechlorinator if you can get it---it's more concentrated so you'll use less in the long-run.