Oh My Gosh, I Can't Even Cycle. Help!

I'm a week into my cycle with fish food. No nitrites yet. I wasn't worried until I read a lot of stuff on here that said that fish food is pretty much one of the most ineffective ways to cycle and takes forever. And that you should switch to ammonia. Okay, well I live in nowhere-ville and can't buy basic ammonia (that I'm aware of. Seriously this town is so deprived. It's Walmart or nothing). Oh, and I already have a lovely "carpet" of rotting fish food that I'll have to vacuum up later no matter what, so no getting around that.
And I also saw someone say that you want 1-2ppm of ammonia. I read online while doing all my research that you want between 3-5ppm or BB can't grow. Internet also said that fish food was just as effective as ammonia...on lots of different sites...seriously, who writes this stuff?!
And then I'm thinking, okay is there a way to get around all this stuff? Oh look at all these lovely products you can use! Seachem, Dr. Tim's, safe start, this that and the other thing! I'm drowning in a sea of bottled bacteria and chemicals and I have no idea what to buy or what will work! Also, question: doesn't bacteria have to be refrigerated to stay alive? And doesn't BB need ammonia and nitrites to feed on? How can you bottle it without it all dying?
I'm feeling totally overwhelmed and I'm doing this on a budget. I can't spend a ton of money on additives, bottled BB, conditioners, etc.
I figured I better ask for help on my internal struggle here, while I'm only a week into my cycle and haven't hit the point of catastrophe.

Tank details:
40 gallons (free from my aunt; I was possibly way too ambitious)
Am: 4ppm
Ni: 0
Na: 0
Ph: 8.2
Temp: 84° F (I read that 86-90 is best for growing BB, but who knows, that could be wrong too!)

I'm pretty sure my labyrinth organs are failing and I can't breath my water cause it might have too much ammonia in it, and I think I might be dying! Please help!!!

(Okay, I'm really stressed out, but you've got to admit, all of that^^ was kind of an entertaining read.)

 

Did you dechlorinate? I'm sure you did, just didn't see anything on that. Also I feel like your temp is fine I wouldn't push it past 86 imo. I would keep it at the same temp you plan on keeping your fish though, no reason to keep changing stuff, consistency is key all around. You have ammonia, so fish food or pure ammonia isn't the issue anymore.. I would give it two maybe three weeks with a fish food kick start before I would start to worry that I don't have a cycle yet.

 

This is on line. I would be very surprised if they do not sell single bottles in store.

You can fishless cycle in 7-12 days. Some have done it in less.

I will post a link to a thread with how it is done. But because of the endless arguments from people that just plain do not know what they are talking about I will make no further replies. I wish you the best of luck in your efforts

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/fast-fishless-cycle.330546/

And to those that quote me to draw me back to this thread you will end up on my ignore list

 

Did you dechlorinate? I'm sure you did, just didn't see anything on that. Also I feel like your temp is fine I wouldn't push it past 86 imo. I would keep it at the same temp you plan on keeping your fish though, no reason to keep changing stuff, consistency is key all around. You have ammonia, so fish food or pure ammonia isn't the issue anymore.. I would give it two maybe three weeks with a fish food kick start before I would start to worry that I don't have a cycle yet.

Yes, I dechlorinated. Jungle Start Right. That's probably not a very good brand but that was pretty much all there is in this tiny town.
Thanks for the help on the temperature.

This is on line. I would be very surprised if they do not sell single bottles in store.

You can fishless cycle in 7-12 days. Some have done it in less.

I will post a link to a thread with how it is done. But because of the endless arguments from people that just plain do not know what they are talking about I will make no further replies. I wish you the best of luck in your efforts

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/fast-fishless-cycle.330546/

And to those that quote me to draw me back to this thread you will end up on my ignore list

Thanks, I'll check it out

This is on line. I would be very surprised if they do not sell single bottles in store.

You can fishless cycle in 7-12 days. Some have done it in less.

I will post a link to a thread with how it is done. But because of the endless arguments from people that just plain do not know what they are talking about I will make no further replies. I wish you the best of luck in your efforts

https://www.fishlore.com/aquariumfishforum/threads/fast-fishless-cycle.330546/

And to those that quote me to draw me back to this thread you will end up on my ignore list

I read your post. I just have a quick question. For some reason, links aren't showing up for me in the app or in the browser. In step 4, you say "add this" but I have no idea what "this" is, haha. Would you mind clarifying that for me?

 

It took my tank 6 weeks to cycle when I set it up.
I too was impatient to see fish in the tank....... but the key to having a good healthy tank is to cycle it properly - so bare in their..... If you are fishless at the moment, then you have no need to stress.
Will be watching you..... and supporting you.

 

It took my tank 6 weeks to cycle when I set it up.
I too was impatient to see fish in the tank....... but the key to having a good healthy tank is to cycle it properly - so bare in their..... If you are fishless at the moment, then you have no need to stress.
Will be watching you..... and supporting you.

Thanks. I'm just nervous cause I really don't wanna mess it up and have to start over.

 

Thanks. I'm just nervous cause I really don't wanna mess it up and have to start over.

You'll be fine. Just don't any fish until you are cycled......I know it is tempting

 

I read your post. I just have a quick question. For some reason, links aren't showing up for me in the app or in the browser. In step 4, you say "add this" but I have no idea what "this" is, haha. Would you mind clarifying that for me?

It's a product called Seachem Stability, very popular brand so should be easy to find. It should initialize the bacteria in the tank to begin the cycle.

 

It's a product called Seachem Stability, very popular brand so should be easy to find. It should initialize the bacteria in the tank to begin the cycle.

I thought it just kept things..."stable." It has BB in it?

You'll be fine. Just don't any fish until you are cycled......I know it is tempting

Thanks

Okay! I just ordered Dr. Tim's ammonium chloride, and Seachem Stability from Amazon. Fingers crossed!

 

Good luck!

 

Good luck!

Thank you! I'm feeling less nervous now.

 

As long as you followed the instructions and listen to what others say, then you will be fine!

 

I'm a week into my cycle with fish food. No nitrites yet. I wasn't worried until I read a lot of stuff on here that said that fish food is pretty much one of the most ineffective ways to cycle and takes forever. And that you should switch to ammonia. Okay, well I live in nowhere-ville and can't buy basic ammonia (that I'm aware of. Seriously this town is so deprived. It's Walmart or nothing). Oh, and I already have a lovely "carpet" of rotting fish food that I'll have to vacuum up later no matter what, so no getting around that.
And I also saw someone say that you want 1-2ppm of ammonia. I read online while doing all my research that you want between 3-5ppm or BB can't grow. Internet also said that fish food was just as effective as ammonia...on lots of different sites...seriously, who writes this stuff?!
And then I'm thinking, okay is there a way to get around all this stuff? Oh look at all these lovely products you can use! Seachem, Dr. Tim's, safe start, this that and the other thing! I'm drowning in a sea of bottled bacteria and chemicals and I have no idea what to buy or what will work! Also, question: doesn't bacteria have to be refrigerated to stay alive? And doesn't BB need ammonia and nitrites to feed on? How can you bottle it without it all dying?
I'm feeling totally overwhelmed and I'm doing this on a budget. I can't spend a ton of money on additives, bottled BB, conditioners, etc.
I figured I better ask for help on my internal struggle here, while I'm only a week into my cycle and haven't hit the point of catastrophe.

Tank details:
40 gallons (free from my aunt; I was possibly way too ambitious)
Am: 4ppm
Ni: 0
Na: 0
Ph: 8.2
Temp: 84° F (I read that 86-90 is best for growing BB, but who knows, that could be wrong too!)

I'm pretty sure my labyrinth organs are failing and I can't breath my water cause it might have too much ammonia in it, and I think I might be dying! Please help!!!

(Okay, I'm really stressed out, but you've got to admit, all of that^^ was kind of an entertaining read.)

Relax. I cycled with ammonia. It took forever. Best thing to do is get a bottle of seed or other starters. Use them. It might take a couple of week to really cycle the tank.I overthought the cycling when I first started keeping fish. But cycling take time. But you won't have to take out dead fish .