Cycling Issues

[ZoeNC1]

Hello, I am a new fish keeper who has just started on my first tank. However about just over two weeks on to the cycling process I find myself with 1.0 ppm ammonia and 0 nitrates and nitrites. I have been using apI QuickStart and the fishless cycling method (fish food only) yet nothing is happening. According to my research by this point I should be getting some nitrates but there is nothing. If anyone knows what is the problem and can help I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

 

[flyinGourami]

Hello, I am a new fish keeper who has just started on my first tank. However about just over two weeks on to the cycling process I find myself with 1.0 ppm ammonia and 0 nitrates and nitrites. I have been using apI QuickStart and the fishless cycling method (fish food only) yet nothing is happening. According to my research by this point I should be getting some nitrates but there is nothing. If anyone knows what is the problem and can help I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

Hmmm.... I would wait for a few days to see if anything changes. I would put a tiny bit more bacteria maybe if nothing is happening. However, it has been a week so I believe the cycle should be starting? Also welcome to fishlore!

 

[Donkeyhobo3]

Hello, I am a new fish keeper who has just started on my first tank. However about just over two weeks on to the cycling process I find myself with 1.0 ppm ammonia and 0 nitrates and nitrites. I have been using apI QuickStart and the fishless cycling method (fish food only) yet nothing is happening. According to my research by this point I should be getting some nitrates but there is nothing. If anyone knows what is the problem and can help I would greatly appreciate it. Thanks.

I would recommend using Seachem Stability, it’s a blue bottle, and it really helped me with Cycling my tank! You just have to shake it real good, until you see that it’s “foggy”. What type of filter do you have as well?

 

[ZoeNC1]

It’s an aqueon quietflow 20 (for 29 gallon tank) with a little bit of extra filter sponge at the output to lessen the strength of the flow

Hmmm.... I would wait for a few days to see if anything changes. I would put a tiny bit more bacteria maybe if nothing is happening. However, it has been a week so I believe the cycle should be starting? Also welcome to fishlore!

Thanks for the feedback and the warm welcome I will follow your advice and wait longer

 

[Donkeyhobo3]

Oh okay, because what I do is customize my HOB filter. I take out the filter pad and hot rod using these items. I have a sponge from an Aquaclear on the bottom, polyester stuffing in the middle and then some media, like bio-rings, on the top. It’s a good way to colonize beneficial bacteria and make sure that the Ammonia stays zero. Unlike the filter pads, all you replace is the stuffing and it wouldn’t mess with your cycle, at least in my experience it hasn’t. But your number one friend would be Stability from Seachem

 

[flyinGourami]

It’s an aqueon quietflow 20 (for 29 gallon tank) with a little bit of extra filter sponge at the output to lessen the strength of the flow


Thanks for the feedback and the warm welcome I will follow your advice and wait longer

Your welcome. If anything happens or the cycle stalls don't hesitate to let us know

 

[faydout]

I would also add that you can dose the Stability straight into your HOB filter. It just puts more concentrated bacteria into your filter rather than putting it into your water column and letting the filter run it through. Would also highly suggest modding your filter with sponges, bio balls, and poly fill. That'll work much better than those store bought filter cartridges. Will hold orders of magnitude more good bacteria.

 

[ZoeNC1]

I would also add that you can dose the Stability straight into your HOB filter. It just puts more concentrated bacteria into your filter rather than putting it into your water column and letting the filter run it through. Would also highly suggest modding your filter with sponges, bio balls, and poly fill. That'll work much better than those store bought filter cartridges. Will hold orders of magnitude more good bacteria.

I’ve taken the advice and gotten some Seachem stability and am using the directed dose straight into the filter thanks for your help

 

[colin3030]

Hi guys have had tank running since thursday adding fish food twice daily and ammonia is still zero. have ordered proper ammonia on internet and should be arriving wednesday. bacteria has been added so should i add more in when i add ammonia. want to get it to 3ppm to get the cycle started. any help i would really appreciate

 

[DuaneV]

The fish food method is a crapshoot at best. There's no way to monitor how much ammonia youre adding. Get some pure ammonia and dose 2-4ppm daily. Once you see nitrites maybe cut back to 2ppm. If ammonia levels go higher than 6ppm, do an appropriately sized water change to lower it back to 2-4ppm. SUPER easy and you know EXACTLY whats going on in there instead of just dumping in food, having decaying food laying all over and guessing.

 

[colin3030]

cheers Duane. I have the fish food in a net and it looks nasty lol. so i have to add ammonia daily???

 

[Evaldiv6]

When I started my cycle, I used pure ammonia and I used the tetra safe start. I dose both on the same day to start the cycle. I then test every other day and went ahead and added a bit of each until I noticed the nitrates were increasing.

 

[colin3030]

Brilliant thanks Evaldiv6 im just so nervous that im going to get it wrong. have added pure aquarium bomb on advice of pet shop and they said that would be sufficiant. water is a little bit cloudy (very slight) so i think bacteria is doing something. have 2 air bubblers in there too. its only 60 liters but i really want to get it right

 

[Algonquin]

You will only add the ammonia initially - it will take a few weeks for the bacteria to develop that will process that ammonia. When your ammonia reading drops to 0, you will need to add more at that point, to keep the bacteria fed, while you wait for your nitrites to drop to 0 (a second type of bacteria processes your nitrites). At that point, you may be adding ammonia every day or every other day, until the cycle is complete. Then do a big water change, and add your fish (they will then be the ammonia source).

Hope that helps.

 

[colin3030]

but the bacteria i put in last thursday will still be ok with no ammonia in there till i put ammonia in wednesday

 

[Algonquin]

I'm not familiar with that product, but did a quick read up on it on the manufacturer's website. This is described as being live nitrifying bacteria, and sounds like it's intended to be used with fish in the tank (to provide an ammonia source). If the bacteria is just put in an empty tank, it won't have any food source.

 

[colin3030]

so what would you suggest to put in with ammonia when i add it. I have these 2 products. thanks for your help with this Algonquin

 

[Algonquin]

Honestly, I wouldn't add either. You don't need to add 'extras' when cycling, just let nature take it's course. Make sure your water is dechlorinated, of course, but that's it. I'm sure others will have different opinions on that though. I've read a lot of threads on this forum that indicates adding various things to 'speed up' the cycling process can give you weird test results... which can make things complicated

 

[flyinGourami]

Honestly, I wouldn't add either. You don't need to add 'extras' when cycling, just let nature take it's course. Make sure your water is dechlorinated, of course, but that's it. I'm sure others will have different opinions on that though. I've read a lot of threads on this forum that indicates adding various things to 'speed up' the cycling process can give you weird test results... which can make things complicated

I think adding the bacteria isn't bad, it just jumpstarts the cycling process, which makes it quicker. Most people who have had success with it say that their cycle was done quicker. Imo opinion they can be helpful to speed up the process. I haven't actually heard anyone say that it gave weird results to them personally. Maybe I"m not looking in the right threads lol.

 

[colin3030]

well thats it. i will add the ammonia and nothing else. will let the bacteria i have in there do its thing and keep testing. will let it get to 3/4 ppm and do ammonia and nitrite tests every other day. hopefully i get it right. thanks for your help and any other info you feel like sharing would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Algonquin]

I think adding the bacteria isn't bad, it just jumpstarts the cycling process, which makes it quicke

I was referring to the pictured bottles - stability in particular

 

[flyinGourami]

I was referring to the pictured bottles - stability in particular

Lol oops, I thought you meant bottled bacteria in general. I've heard mixed reviews on stability, but really promising ones on tetra safe start. Idk about aqua safe though(the one in the picture, idk lol).

 

[jdhef]

Aqua Safe is a dechlorinator not a bacteria additive.

 

[flyinGourami]

Aqua Safe is a dechlorinator not a bacteria additive.

Oh..... Haha srry I've never heard of it before lol. Thanks for telling me.