TennThunder

Hey, I added an established filter to my HOB filter about 5 days ago and put my ammonia to 2.0 PPM. It has stayed the same ever since and no nitrites or nitrates. What would you guys do? Just let it run it's course? Would you advise doing anything, such as raising the ammonia or anything? Thanks for any help.

Shawnie

for some reason your media doesnt haven enough bacteria to process the ammonia..how old is the media..? 5 days may not have been enough but its suppose to be close to an instant cycle if the filter was well established...

TennThunder

Thanks Shawnie. Yeah, it's strange bc i put the media right in my tank and it's the second one I used. The first didn't work bc I had thought the high ammonia (off the API test kit chart) may have killed it. Do you think it could be my water? I have well water, and I had it tested and was told everything was great on it, hardness, pH, no ammonia, nitrites, nitrates etc. The media was really dirty and looked about a month old. This cycling deal is such a pain, definitely an exercise in patience!!

Shawnie

hmmm looked about a month old? where did you get it?
at this point, im assuming there is no fish because you added ammonia right? I would get a raw piece of shrimp, and put it in the tank..leave it be for at least a week then test your tank and go from there depending on what your readings are...patience is something that comes slowly in fish keeping..especially if you have an empty tank sitting there trying to cycle it LOL ..BUT , its much better than cycling with fish and doing the daily pain in the butt water changes

TennThunder

Hey, got it from a friend who owns a LFS. I'll definitely do the raw shrimp thing, thanks Shawnie. Right, no fish. All my friends and family have SW tanks, is cycling those such a PITB as FW? LOL, I feel hopeless with this thing now. You try 2 established filters and nothing.

Shawnie

dont give up!!!!!! again, if I could bottle up 'patience" and sell it, id be rich!!!!!!!
I have no clue on SW ..im a noob in that area..they intimidate me lol...id keep the filter media in there still....but if it cant process 2ppm's in 5 days, its not quite seeded enough..but it sholdnt take too long if it had any bacteria on it...goodluck!!

TennThunder

Thanks Shawnie, I appreciate the help!! Take care!!

Shawnie

very welcome

TennThunder

You know I bet you the cycling thing is prob the second biggest reason besides moving that people get rid of their tanks!

Shawnie

I would agree..or the fact they dont know about the cycle process and fish keep dieing on them and they dont know why...frustration takes over

TennThunder

Definitely!! Those people need to join the Happy Fishlore Forums!!

Shawnie

jdhef

I dabbled in saltwater back in the early to mid 80's, and yes the tank needed to be cycled. Back then I was told to just put some Damselfish in and cycle with them. No water changes or anything. Knowing what I learned here, I'm sure that is the wrong way to do it!

hkirchen

Could your friend give you a little of gravel from one of his tanks? That might have enough bacteria on it. I would also keep the filter media too.

I have heard that using live rock and live sand shortens the cycle quite a bit with SW. I do not have one yet, still tinkering with my FW until my husband is convinced I will not kill all of the fish! I cannot wait until my husband lets me get a SW tank!

Good luck with your cycle! Mine took eight weeks! I didn't know anyone with tanks.

Heather

TennThunder

Thanks jdhef, yeah man, leaning toward that for sure. My brother is a big SW guy and he can help me with it. Just I have had the worst luck cycling a FW, done everything, and can't get nitrites for the life of me. Tried two used filters, gravel, nothing works. I'm going to to give it my last shot with SafeStart, hope that works.

TennThunder

Hey Heather, thanks for the help. Yeah, had gravel in there also and it didn't help. Its a 45 min drive from his store to my house, maybe the bacteria died in route (it was in their tank water)? One dude told me that if you don't have the bacteria in running water after an hour, it will die. Probably what happened to me. Cool you're thinking about SW too. I just like all the amazing fish SW has, but defn comes at a higher price for sure!

shih-tzu mom

TennThunder, i was just reading your post and it's only been 5-day's lol -do what Shawnie say's regarding the shrimp and you will get your readings lol bella

TennThunder

Hey bella, I'm honored you commented in my thread, I always get a kick out of your posts, lol!! You're like one of those people who don't mean to be funny, but is really funny, lol. Well I decided to try SafeStart as my last ditch effort (getting it tomorrow, will let everyone know if it works), and if it doesn't work after a few weeks, I'm going to SW my friends. Just got a lot more people with SW tanks in the real world and they can help me with it if I run into trouble. The live rock and the sand should hopefully help with the SW cycle.

Shawnie

sw to me is much more difficult...but I wish you well..and after adding the safestart, dont do anything but add a little bit of prime for at least 7 days...

EDIT: WAIT A MIN lol ...this is a fishless cycle ...sorry I forgot that...you have to add some kind of ammonia source with the safestart or you will be wasting your money..a piece of raw shrimp or pure ammonia

TennThunder

Thanks Shawnie, hope the safestart works, do you know a lot of people who have used it? Did it work? Right about SW, just hoping the live rock would help with it. My brother has a cool reef tank and he says it's not too bad really. I just would want SW for all those cool fish. Forgot, would have done the shrimp, just had dont the pure ammonia for a couple weeks and didn't work at all, no nitrites. Sure my shrimp would have done the same, i'm jinxed for sure.

TennThunder

Right Shawnie, I just got 6 large danios and 6 zebra danios so will use those with my SafeStart. I'm going to do a huge water change before I use the SafeStart so it will be zero ammonia and put the heater at 80 and then do it. Do you like my plan? Anything you would suggest changing?

Shawnie

safestart works great...if used properly..at this point there still is no fish right? id get the safestart, pour it in with a piece of raw shrimp, and LEAVE IT BE for 7-10 days...do a test after that, and go from there...by then, you should have the cycle completed and be able to take out the shrimp and do a big water change as if done properly, you should have high nitrates

TennThunder

Will 6 large and 6 zebra danios work also, instead of the shrimp? lol, I can tell Shawnie LOVES shrimp!!! Love it at Red Lobster too!! Those cheese biscuits, yummy.

jdhef

The Danios would work fine for cycling with SafeStart.

Nick G

Adding 12 fish at once will cause an ammonia spike. Not sure if the safe start will cope with it. Make sure to check the water parameters daily.

TennThunder

Thanks jdhef and Nick, did like a 80% water change last night bc wanted the ammonia at zero before I used the TSS today.