Still Waiting For Cycle

I am still waiting for my 20 gallon to cycle. It’s been about six weeks now. I have been doing water changes almost daily to keep the ammonia down. I started adding bottled B.B. I realized that adding the B.B. when I do water changes isn’t doing anything because it has come to my attention that dechlorination conditioners also get rid of the B.B. if addded within 24 hours, so today I didn’t do a water change and added two full capfuls of tetra concentrated bacteria.
My question is how often should I add the B.B.? I thought the cycle was starting a few days ago because I finally had a reading of nitrites but now the nitrites is back to zero.
If I knew a few months ago what I know now I would have done a fishless cycle first.
Should I stop doing daily water changes and just stick with adding the B.B.?

 

Hello!

In your statment "fishless cycle" was linked in blue so you could click on it like I did. I breifly read and I think it should give you the needed info.

Hopes this helps

 

Hello!

In your statment "fishless cycle" was linked in blue so you could click on it like I did. I breifly read and I think it should give you the needed info.

Hopes this helps

It’s too late for a fishless cycle. My tank is fully stocked.

 

I assume when you say Tetra that your using Safe Start or Safe Start +. Why haven’t you put the entire bottle in? You can use chlorine remover, just not Prime.

 

It’s too late for a fishless cycle. My tank is fully stocked.

I would recommend to continue with the water changes. It can take a up to 3 months or more fully stocked to complete a cycle. The more waste in the tank means more ammonia and more ammonia means more BB that will need to grow. If you are getting very high ammonia even after the water change you may have to do 2 a day. Just make sure you are treating the water before it goes into the tank.

 

So: you have a fully stocked uncycled tank. Are you seeing nitrates, now that you have seen nitrites? What bacterial supplement are you using exactly?

 

I would recommend to continue with the water changes. It can take a up to 3 months or more fully stocked to complete a cycle. The more waste in the tank means more ammonia and more ammonia means more BB that will need to grow. If you are getting very high ammonia even after the water change you may have to do 2 a day. Just make sure you are treating the water before it goes into the tank.

Yes, I always treat the water before it goes into the tank. The ammonia fluctuates betwee 0.50 and O.1. The highest it ever got to was 2.0
I will continue to do water changes until it cycles then. Thank you.

I assume when you say Tetra that your using Safe Start or Safe Start +. Why haven’t you put the entire bottle in? You can use chlorine remover, just not Prime.

I have been using prime when putting in new water and yes the B.B. I use is safe start +. Is it ok to put in the whole bottle even with fish in the tank? I heard two capfuls for a twenty gallon tank.

So: you have a fully stocked uncycled tank. Are you seeing nitrates, now that you have seen nitrites? What bacterial supplement are you using exactly?

I am using safe start plus concentrated bacteria . I did see a trace of nitrates the other day but this morning there were none. I have been changing after daily for the past two weeks, anywhere between 25% and 75 %.

 

I am using safe start plus concentrated bacteria . I did see a trace of nitrates the other day but this morning there were none. I have been changing after daily for the past two weeks, anywhere between 25% and 75 %.

I would stay with 25-30% water changes. Having some nitrites and then none could be a good sign but keep monitoring hopefully soon you will see some nitrates.

 

What do the instructions on your bottle of safe start say? There are two types of safe start - one to initially help cycle a lightly stocked tank (1 inch of fish per 10 gallons) & the other as sort of a maintenance dose. The first type (TSS+) requires light stocking, light feeding & no water changes for 2 weeks after adding the full bottle to tank. Since you have a “fully stocked” tank, that will not work for you.
What is the size of tank & full stocking list (how many of what type of animals/fish)?

 

1 inch of fish per ten gallons ? That means like two guppies for a twenty gallon tank! Everything I have been researching says 1 inch of fish per gallon.
My tank already has;
2 mollies
2 platys
2 Cory’s
3 neons
2 Chinese silks
2 small angels

The bottle says add the whole bottle for new tanks up to 100 gallons.for healthy maintenance add two teaspoons for a 20 gallon tank.
I was Concerned adding the whole bottle might harm the fish.

 

I would dump the whole bottle into the filter. What I do is turn off the filter, pour the B.B. into the filter then add tank water to wash it all over the media. I’ve done this with fish in the tank and they are absolutely fine. You’ll see cloudiness for a few minutes but they’re fine. Even if it did effect them high ammonia is way more dangerous. What type of filter are you using? I found this makes a huge difference.

 

1 inch of fish per ten gallons ? That means like two guppies for a twenty gallon tank! Everything I have been researching says 1 inch of fish per gallon.
My tank already has;
2 mollies
2 platys
2 Cory’s
3 neons
2 Chinese silks
2 small angels

The bottle says add the whole bottle for new tanks up to 100 gallons.for healthy maintenance add two teaspoons for a 20 gallon tank.
I was Concerned adding the whole bottle might harm the fish.

The 1 inch per 10 gallon rule is the definition of “light stocking” to allow the TSS+ to work in 14 days without a water change.

Holy cow - just re-checked your tank size. Do you know how big & aggressive angels get? What is your plan for them as they get bigger? What is your filtration - at least 200 gallons per hour I hope with such a heavily stocked tank.

I would keep doing water changes of 50% when Ammonia + Nitrite = or > 1.0. If ammonia + Nitrite < 1.0 then dose with Prime & walk away to retest in 24 hours.

If what you have is really TSS+ then I would just dump the whole thing in after your next water change, or not. Seachem makes a product - Stability which is designed to work with Prime and can boost your B.B. while doing water changes.

 

I always dump the entire bottle in. You aren’t putting enough bacteria in.

 

With that many fish in, I would try and see if a friend who has a well established tank could hold on to a few for awhile, I would also see if you could return the angelfish to your LFS. They will out grow a twenty gal tank in a couple of months. IMO, Angel should no be kept in anything smaller the a 55. I know it’s too late, but you really have over stocked your tank. Try and lighten your bio load, keep up with the water changes and the Starter B.B.
good luck.

 

It says on the bottle that you only use a full bottle if a 40 gallon tank. (Well the small one does at least!)
Anyways, not to mention that the Angel Fish will eat your neon (I am assuming tetras) and you also really should keep those and the corys in schools of at least 6.

 

It’s just bacteria and it’s not going to hurt. You won’t overdose. Most of us use dirty filter media to start a cycle and we have no idea how much bacteria is in them. It’s beneficial bacteria which is good bacteria. I put an entire bottle in a 10G tank that was full of goldfish fry and it didn’t hurt them.

 

It’s just bacteria and it’s not going to hurt. You won’t overdose. Most of us use dirty filter media to start a cycle and we have no idea how much bacteria is in them. It’s beneficial bacteria which is good bacteria. I put an entire bottle in a 10G tank that was full of goldfish fry and it didn’t hurt them.

Thank you, your experienced input is appreciated and I will do exactly that.

It says on the bottle that you only use a full bottle if a 40 gallon tank. (Well the small one does at least!)
Anyways, not to mention that the Angel Fish will eat your neon (I am assuming tetras) and you also really should keep those and the corys in schools of at least 6.

No, it says on the bottle to use an entire bottle for UP TO a 100 gallon tank.

It says on the bottle that you only use a full bottle if a 40 gallon tank. (Well the small one does at least!)
Anyways, not to mention that the Angel Fish will eat your neon (I am assuming tetras) and you also really should keep those and the corys in schools of at least 6.

The angels don’t bother the neon tetras at all. All the fish get along fine except for the male platy occasionally chasing the female.

 

The Neons being raised with angle’s assuming they are small may be ok short term. However, as mentioned the angels will grow and that is when aggressive behavior can be observed. Also, If you have a mating pair they will completely dominate the tank if breed.

 

No, it says on the bottle to use an entire bottle for UP TO a 100 gallon tank.

Small bottle says 40 gallons. Which is what I posted as there are obviously different bottle sizes.

 

Correct. Small bottle does say 40G. What that is actually saying is that it will treat up to 40G. In other words, if you have a tank larger than 40G, then get another bottle.