Why did the cycle on my tank take so long?

So my 29 finally cycled after 3 months with fish and trying every form of bottled bacteria available to me. Newbie and I thought my tank was cycled after the first 2 weeks because the water got cloudy and was told this was the bacterial bloom. We then added fish. A glow shark and some glow barbs. Lost all the barbs and added some guppies and mollies. Lost all the guppies. Well after researching have learned that its not true and started with testing. During testing would always have some ammonia reading but never had any nitrite or nitrate and would always do 50% water changes 2 to 3 times a week. Well 2 weeks ago finally had readings of .5 ammonia, .5 nitrite and 0 nitrate. Water changed 30% and let it go for another week. This week finally had 0 ammonia,0 nitite, and 10 nitrate. So I assume my tank has finally cycled.
Aquarium is not planted, has a whisper 60 filter and a sicche adv shark 600, gravel substrate.
First question. Why would the cycle take so long to complete?

Second question. Right now we have 3 mollies( 1 male dalmation, 1 female dalmation, and 1 female gold dust mollie?) And a glow shark. Feel like with that much filtration I can have some more fish. If so how many and what kinds?

Third question. Have a 40b tank that have been trying to cycle without fish for 1 month. Added Dr. Tims ammonia to 2ppm of ammonia. Has had readings of 2ppm of ammonia, 0 nitrite and 0 nitrate for the whole month. After my 29 took this long to cycle with fish I am worried my 40 will never cycle. The 40 Has the same filters and my 29. How long should I wait before I can move a filter from my 29 to the 40 to start cycling without crashing my 29?

 

What is your pH? A very low pH can really stall a cycle. Are you planning on running both tanks?

 

What is your pH? A very low pH can really stall a cycle. Are you planning on running both tanks?

Depending on test ph is either 7.8 or 8.2. So that is what is confusing me have read my ph should be ideal for the cycle. Yes I want to run both tanks. Was going to just swapped filters on the sicce 600s

 

Thank you to whoever moved this. I realized after I posted and didn't know how to move it

 

What is your pH? A very low pH can really stall a cycle. Are you planning on running both tanks?

I would also like to lightly plant my 40 someday

 

Depending on test ph is either 7.8 or 8.2. So that is what is confusing me have read my ph should be ideal for the cycle. Yes I want to run both tanks. Was going to just swapped filters on the sicce 600s

Hmmmm thats out of my knowledge bank then. There is more than likely something about your water making it tricky. Do you have the tests for GH and KH also? Maybe someone can pick up on something from those readings. I would just leave the filter on your 29. It too new of a cycle to seed a new system IMO. Yes it would probably crash the 29 if you did switch them. I believe plants are ok in the tank while it is cycling.

 

Hmmmm thats out of my knowledge bank then. There is more than likely something about your water making it tricky. Do you have the tests for GH and KH also? Maybe someone can pick up on something from those readings. I would just leave the filter on your 29. It too new of a cycle to seed a new system IMO. Yes it would probably crash the 29 if you did switch them. I believe plants are ok in the tank while it is cycling.

So I kh test and gh tests show 300 from the test strips I have. My area has very hard water and we have a water softener running and I know its working. Our old house didn't have a softener and could definitely tell the difference in water when we moved in. Also forgot to add that I did put in bio matrix and added a sponge to intakes of the hobs