My planted tank doesn't seem to be cycling

Quick version:
My planted tank doesn't appear to be cycling. Is it possible for decaying plants to add ammonia and live plants to absorb the nitrates?

Details:
I started fishless cycling 2 1/2 weeks ago using ammonium chloride and tetra safestart. My ammonia went from 4ppm to 2ppm in that first week, 0 nitrites, and 5 nitrates. After one week, I added plants from a lfs. I didn't wash them because I honestly wanted to add whatever good bacteria they might come with, and I don't mind snails. A lot of the pennywort browned and started falling apart within a couple of days, so I changed how it was planted, trimmed off the dying leaves, and did a 20% water change. The ammonia was 1.5ppm after that. I added API leafzone and root tabs. I started using Stability too. I've seen 3 baby bladder snails and what I think is maybe snail poop since 5 days ago. There's lots of biofilm on the driftwood, and just a bit of brown algae on the airline tubing. The ammonia has only dropped to about .75ppm over the course of a week and there are no nitrites or nitrates.

Is it possible that the new plants that decayed, plant bits that the filter sucked in, and millimeter sized snails could be adding ammonia, and then the plants absorb the nitrates? I haven't read anything about nitrates going down instead of up.

And is there anything that I should be doing differently? This is my first aquarium, let alone a planted tank, so I could absolutely be missing some basics

 

I'm not a cycle guru by any means, but decaying plants can definitely add ammonia to your tank. It also took me a while to start seeing nitrates, and I think it could be due to the number of plants you have vs the ammonia being put into the tank. There's a good thread here on fishless cycles if you'd like some more information too and haven't seen it.

 

I don't think that you are seeing brown algae on your airline tubing. Beneficial Bacteria grows on that tube because its an oxygen rich area. And the color of the bacteria colony is a reddish orange color when it gets thick enough.

Your plants are sucking up your ammonia as well as any nitrates that might be present.
If you aren't keeping the ammonia at a constant level (2ppm should be fine) then your plants are eating the ammonia before the bacteria has a chance to grow enough to consume it.

But thats one of the benefits of a planted tank.

 

I'm not a cycle guru by any means, but decaying plants can definitely add ammonia to your tank. It also took me a while to start seeing nitrates, and I think it could be due to the number of plants you have vs the ammonia being put into the tank. There's a good thread here on fishless cycles if you'd like some more information too and haven't seen it.

Thank you! I haven't seen that before. I already bought fish food, so I just added a pinch

 

Thank you! I haven't seen that before. I already bought fish food, so I just added a pinch

Glad to hear it! I hope the cycling goes well for you. Do you have plans for what you're going to put in it once the cycle is complete?

 

I don't think that you are seeing brown algae on your airline tubing. Beneficial Bacteria grows on that tube because its an oxygen rich area. And the color of the bacteria colony is a reddish orange color when it gets thick enough.

Your plants are sucking up your ammonia as well as any nitrates that might be present.
If you aren't keeping the ammonia at a constant level (2ppm should be fine) then your plants are eating the ammonia before the bacteria has a chance to grow enough to consume it.

But thats one of the benefits of a planted tank.

Gotcha. I should raise the ammonia a bit then. I really should have made this post before I cleaned the "brown algae" off of my airline tubing.

Glad to hear it! I hope the cycling goes well for you. Do you have plans for what you're going to put in it once the cycle is complete?

Yes, I know I want two fancy goldfish, either fantails or orandas.

I've thought about adding cherry shrimp and hillstream loaches, but it seems like there are risks with keeping each with goldfish

 

Gotcha. I should raise the ammonia a bit then. I really should have made this post before I cleaned the "brown algae" off of my airline tubing.

We really can't see the bacteria without a microscope. What you cleaned off was just the film all tanks eventually get. There may have been some bacteria mixed in with it but the majority of your bacteria is going to grow on your filter media. It will also grow on all the surfaces in the tank. While cycling it is best not to clean anything.

I will recommend you add enough ammonia to get it up to 2ppm. Each time it drops down to or close to zero get it back up to 2ppm. Continue adding a pinch of fish food but only add it about every third day. We are not depending on it as our ammonia source. It is in there to give the bacteria that little extra food it needs.

You are still very early in the cycling process. Adding TSS helps some folks, others not quite so much. Nitrites don't normally show up this soon even though ammonia seems to be going down. I am not sure exactly what is going on during this time. I just know we don't normally see nitrites right away. Nitrites will rise and start going down before you get nitrates. It just takes time.

 

Gotcha. I should raise the ammonia a bit then. I really should have made this post before I cleaned the "brown algae" off of my airline tubing.

Yes, I know I want two fancy goldfish, either fantails or orandas.

I've thought about adding cherry shrimp and hillstream loaches, but it seems like there are risks with keeping each with goldfish

Sounds beautiful! I haven't kept goldfish, but I know they can chomp on plants quite a lot, and I'd be wary of keeping them with shrimp for the same reason. I think some people have successfully kept hillstreams with them though!

 

Sounds beautiful! I haven't kept goldfish, but I know they can chomp on plants quite a lot, and I'd be wary of keeping them with shrimp for the same reason. I think some people have successfully kept hillstreams with them though!

Thanks! I looked into plants that can resist goldfish before I bought these. They should all have tough enough leaves except maybe the wisteria. I like the idea of some cute little cherry shrimp helping me clean the plants and driftwood, but I think the reality is they would have to hide all the time.

We really can't see the bacteria without a microscope. What you cleaned off was just the film all tanks eventually get. There may have been some bacteria mixed in with it but the majority of your bacteria is going to grow on your filter media. It will also grow on all the surfaces in the tank. While cycling it is best not to clean anything.

I will recommend you add enough ammonia to get it up to 2ppm. Each time it drops down to or close to zero get it back up to 2ppm. Continue adding a pinch of fish food but only add it about every third day. We are not depending on it as our ammonia source. It is in there to give the bacteria that little extra food it needs.

You are still very early in the cycling process. Adding TSS helps some folks, others not quite so much. Nitrites don't normally show up this soon even though ammonia seems to be going down. I am not sure exactly what is going on during this time. I just know we don't normally see nitrites right away. Nitrites will rise and start going down before you get nitrates. It just takes time.

Darn. I was reeeally hoping the plants were just hiding how far along the cycle I had made it. There's a local fish auction happening near me next weekend. It would be fun to be ready for my first fish by then

 

Darn. I was reeeally hoping the plants were just hiding how far along the cycle I had made it. There's a local fish auction happening near me next weekend. It would be fun to be ready for my first fish by then

I really hate to give out bad news so I do have one suggestion. If you can get your hands on some Fritz-Zyme Turbo Start 700 you may be able to speed this cycle up. I have been reading some very good words about this product. It is more expensive than the other brands of bacteria. I have to think the reason for the higher price is both the strength of it and the fact that it has to be refrigerated from factory to us.

I have seen Fritz-Zyme 700. The price on it is comparable to most other bottled bacteria. The Turbo Start is supposed to have about 15 times more bacteria in it. Keep in mind, I have never used this product, in fact I've never used any bottled bacteria but if I was going to this is the one I would use.