Cycling seems to have stopped??

I've been cycling a 8 gallon tank for almost a month and a half. I thought it might finally be ready, the ammonia was hitting zero well within 24 hours and the Nirite was almost there too. However, I dosed it the same amount I usually do on Wednesday (around 3ppm) and I've been testing it since and it's staying at 4ppm! What could have happened to my cycle?? Nothing major happened with the tank as far as heating, filtering, and lighting go.

 

What were the ammonia levels for a month and a half? Have you consistently fed the bacteria? Change the filter?

 

What were the ammonia levels for a month and a half? Have you consistently fed the bacteria? Change the filter?

Well, I would add liquid ammonia to get it up to around 3ppm then wait for it to go back down to zero. It took about 2 1/2 weeks then the ammonie would go down to zero within 24 hours. Yes, I think so, I've been adding ammonia every other day after the first 2 weeks. I have a sponge filter, and I haven't changed it.

 

Have you kept an eye on your pH? Nitrification causes pH to drop if you don't have enough buffer in the water. If it falls low enough it can can stall out the bacteria.

 

Have you kept an eye on your pH? Nitrification causes pH to drop if you don't have enough buffer in the water. If it falls low enough it can can stall out the bacteria.

I did not know that!! Yes, I just measured it yesterday. It tested as 6, which is weird for my water, in my other two tanks it's 7.6. What can I do to fix it?

 

Have you done any water changes? You could try changing 50% and seeing what your tank's pH is 24 hours later. It sounds like your cycle might've had a pH crash. Not the end of the world, it happens.

Freshening the water helps a lot in most situations.

 

I did not know that!! Yes, I just measured it yesterday. It tested as 6, which is weird for my water, in my other two tanks it's 7.6. What can I do to fix it?

What probably happened was that your tank was nitrifying so much ammonia it used up all the buffer (KH). I did the same thing when I set up my first tank because I didn't think anything in the tank would affect pH.

Have you checked the KH of your tap water? If it's close to 0, your pH will continuously drop between water changes. If you have to, you can increase it with a product like Seamchem Stability, Equilibrium, or even baking soda (carbonates). Just be aware that this will also raise pH.

 

Have you done any water changes? You could try changing 50% and seeing what your tank's pH is 24 hours later. It sounds like your cycle might've had a pH crash. Not the end of the world, it happens.

Freshening the water helps a lot in most situations.

I did one about 2 ish weeks ago, mainly because there was getting to be some algea at the bottom. I'll do the 50% wc tomorrow! Yeah, I'm afriad that's what happened. Will I have to start over from scratch, or will the tank bounce back?

 

What probably happened was that your tank was nitrifying so much ammonia it used up all the buffer (KH). I did the same thing when I set up my first tank because I didn't think anything in the tank would affect pH.

Have you checked the KH of your tap water? If it's close to 0, your pH will continuously drop between water changes. If you have to, you can increase it with a product like Seamchem Stability, Equilibrium, or even baking soda (carbonates). Just be aware that this will also raise pH.

I have a test kit for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH. I haven't ever tested for anything else, is KH super necessary?? I can get a kit if so. Is KH similar to water hardness? Because I know the sink I use has water softener attached to it. What can I do to help get the cycle going again? Or will I have to start over?

 

I have a test kit for ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, and pH. I haven't ever tested for anything else, is KH super necessary?? I can get a kit if so. Is KH similar to water hardness? Because I know the sink I use has water softener attached to it. What can I do to help get the cycle going again? Or will I have to start over?

You could get one of those 6-in-1 test strip kits. Those usually test for GH, KH, and pH.
You could try adding a Wonder Shell, crushed coral, cichlid or reef sand, or natural stone gravel (make sure it’s not coated with acrylic). I had the Imagitarium natural colored gravel from Petco, and it kept my water crazy hard and pH 8.0. My tap water is normally 7.4.

For now, a water change should help.

 

Getting the pH up with water changes should get your cycle moving forward again. The bacteria you have already grown is still there but may have just gone dormant. Getting the pH up to at least 7 should wake it up and get it working again so no, you are not starting over.

It is possible the water softener is removing the buffers necessary to hold the pH up but if you aren't having the same problems in you other tank and are using the same water then it is just the cycling process causing the pH to drop in this tank. Normally water changes don't need to be done often when fishless cycling but in this case they will need to be done to raise and keep the pH up.

 

Getting the pH up with water changes should get your cycle moving forward again. The bacteria you have already grown is still there but may have just gone dormant. Getting the pH up to at least 7 should wake it up and get it working again so no, you are not starting over.

It is possible the water softener is removing the buffers necessary to hold the pH up but if you aren't having the same problems in you other tank and are using the same water then it is just the cycling process causing the pH to drop in this tank. Normally water changes don't need to be done often when fishless cycling but in this case they will need to be done to raise and keep the pH up.

Okay, thank goodness. I was worried I'd have to start over!! Yeah, my other tanks did not have this problem and I used the same water. I'm about to do a 50% wc, so I'll test after that and see if it helps!!

 

Okay, thank goodness. I was worried I'd have to start over!! Yeah, my other tanks did not have this problem and I used the same water. I'm about to do a 50% wc, so I'll test after that and see if it helps!!

The water change should help. If the 50% doesn't get it up to at least 7 you may need to do another one. Just keep a close eye on the pH level and do another water change should it drop again.

Normally I recommend adding something like crushed coral to raise and stabilize but in this case I don't think it is necessary. The fact that the pH is stable in your other tanks tells us that you water contains the necessary buffers to hold the pH stable and it is just the cycling process causing what we are seeing here.