KayT
- #1
Hello, I am hoping somebody will be able to give me some insight/advice/help with my new aquarium.
I recently purchased a 20 gallon aquarium kit. I have had one community aquarium prior, maybe 6 years ago, that got taken down after moving to a new home where the inhabitants passed away. Anyway, as I had some minor previous experience I know some details about the nitrogen cycle, using test kits, water changes, and so on.
With this new tank I did a lot more research to prepare myself again and decided I would do a fishless cycle. It seemed more humane, it would be easier and I could be up and going soon enough. I washed every surface of the tank/filter/decor and thoroughly rinsed the gravel before putting it in the tank and filled it up with tap water, using Prime to dechlorinate. I decided to use liquid ammonia to start, as having rotting food of any kind seemed undesirable. Living in Canada, I am extremely limited in my options for ammonia, but decided to use Dr. Tim's ammonium chloride solution after some investigation. I ordered it on amazon along with a new API freshwater master test kit and had it the next day. (I did not purchase Dr. Tim's one and only bacteria, as it had mixed reviews and was 50$ before taxes on amazon). I dosed the tank as it stated (4 drops per gallon) on May 1st and ended up with 4ppm Ammonia after testing. I was worried this was too high, but after more investigation it seemed like it would be alright. I also tested for pH at the time, which was 7.8. The temperature is around 86F being on the second floor of my house on a very warm day with no AC on.
Being just curious to catch any change as it happened, I tested the water for the next 7 days for ammonia and nitrate. No change. still 4ppm ammonia and no nitrite or nitrate. I figured at this point I might be able to see something, as many people claim to complete cycles over 1-2 weeks. I did some more research. Scrolled through many threads on this website on cycling help. I ordered a bottle of Seachem Stability from amazon as it was one of the only bacterial starters available that I could find, and was half the price of 'one and only' for double the volume. It arrived the next day. I checked the expiry and it confirmed the bottle was very fresh, so I dosed it to double the bottle's instructions following some recommendations I had seen in the past and figuring it wouldn't hurt the tank with the ammonia level it was at. On this same day (day 9) I also added ceramic ring media in a bag to the back of my HOB filter, figuring it could only help.
Now we get to today. It has been another 8 days of no change whatsoever, except for the water temperature which bounces between 83F and 86F depending on how hot the room gets. I have tested the water every other day, figuring it would get there. I had double dosed stability's instructions every day since I got it. The water is cloudy since the first dose of stability. There is plenty of aeration, tons of surface agitation and I can see bubbles in the water and clinging to the top halves of my silk artificial plants.
So, essentially, I'd like to know if anybody has any insight into why, after 17 days, my ammonia will not drop. Has anybody experienced anything similar? Should I stop adding stability as it has been 8 days? (I have tons more). Should I do anything, or just continue to painstakingly wait it out? Thank you all in advance.
Side note: I'm sure somebody will ask. I have tested my tap water. It reads 0.5ppm Ammonia, 0.25ppm nitrite, and like 2.5 nitrate. The pH is also 7.8. The water is hard, but I don't know the exact values.
I recently purchased a 20 gallon aquarium kit. I have had one community aquarium prior, maybe 6 years ago, that got taken down after moving to a new home where the inhabitants passed away. Anyway, as I had some minor previous experience I know some details about the nitrogen cycle, using test kits, water changes, and so on.
With this new tank I did a lot more research to prepare myself again and decided I would do a fishless cycle. It seemed more humane, it would be easier and I could be up and going soon enough. I washed every surface of the tank/filter/decor and thoroughly rinsed the gravel before putting it in the tank and filled it up with tap water, using Prime to dechlorinate. I decided to use liquid ammonia to start, as having rotting food of any kind seemed undesirable. Living in Canada, I am extremely limited in my options for ammonia, but decided to use Dr. Tim's ammonium chloride solution after some investigation. I ordered it on amazon along with a new API freshwater master test kit and had it the next day. (I did not purchase Dr. Tim's one and only bacteria, as it had mixed reviews and was 50$ before taxes on amazon). I dosed the tank as it stated (4 drops per gallon) on May 1st and ended up with 4ppm Ammonia after testing. I was worried this was too high, but after more investigation it seemed like it would be alright. I also tested for pH at the time, which was 7.8. The temperature is around 86F being on the second floor of my house on a very warm day with no AC on.
Being just curious to catch any change as it happened, I tested the water for the next 7 days for ammonia and nitrate. No change. still 4ppm ammonia and no nitrite or nitrate. I figured at this point I might be able to see something, as many people claim to complete cycles over 1-2 weeks. I did some more research. Scrolled through many threads on this website on cycling help. I ordered a bottle of Seachem Stability from amazon as it was one of the only bacterial starters available that I could find, and was half the price of 'one and only' for double the volume. It arrived the next day. I checked the expiry and it confirmed the bottle was very fresh, so I dosed it to double the bottle's instructions following some recommendations I had seen in the past and figuring it wouldn't hurt the tank with the ammonia level it was at. On this same day (day 9) I also added ceramic ring media in a bag to the back of my HOB filter, figuring it could only help.
Now we get to today. It has been another 8 days of no change whatsoever, except for the water temperature which bounces between 83F and 86F depending on how hot the room gets. I have tested the water every other day, figuring it would get there. I had double dosed stability's instructions every day since I got it. The water is cloudy since the first dose of stability. There is plenty of aeration, tons of surface agitation and I can see bubbles in the water and clinging to the top halves of my silk artificial plants.
So, essentially, I'd like to know if anybody has any insight into why, after 17 days, my ammonia will not drop. Has anybody experienced anything similar? Should I stop adding stability as it has been 8 days? (I have tons more). Should I do anything, or just continue to painstakingly wait it out? Thank you all in advance.
Side note: I'm sure somebody will ask. I have tested my tap water. It reads 0.5ppm Ammonia, 0.25ppm nitrite, and like 2.5 nitrate. The pH is also 7.8. The water is hard, but I don't know the exact values.