Help!!

[Kyra Burnside]

Hello hello! 

So it's been about a week or so since I've last posted. I feel as if I've made little progress but am not getting very far with it. 

I believe last week I had no nitrites and 2ppm of ammonia. The beginning of this week, I decided to take a bio-media bag out of my cycled tanks filter and plopped it into this newer tank. Everyday for the past week, I've tested for ammonia and nitrite. I've had the same numbers all week. 2ppm ammonia and around 0.50ppm of nitrite. I thought that it would have cycled the ammonia but it did not. I don't know why but I thought if I dosed in some more ammonia is would cycle. Don't ask. Sometimes I just do things. It clearly did not work. So now I'm back to having this same issue.

Why won't my tank cycle?

I've taken out the hide I had in it because I thought maybe it was effecting the cycle. Again I don't know why I thought that. I have 3 Java ferns and 3 lucky bamboos. I think in my previous post I was told to get more plants but my biggest concern is that this tank is for an axolotl. I fear that he will dig up the bottom substrate (very fine sand) and eat the fluval stratum I have in one spot under the sand. I did this on purpose for the fact that I'm anticipating him to dig around in the area I plan to feed him. I'm sure many know they're very messy altogether so I'm also trying to keep it easy to clean. 

Anyways, I guess I'm asking again as to what I should do. I want to use the "more plants" situation as a last resort. I hope this all makes sense. Thank you in advance for helping out. 

[darkG]

If nothing is very wrong, the bacteria will soon be there in numbers to take away that ammonia, it seems your nitrites are rising now, as they should. 

I too added ammonia. (I still do, since I have no fish or other major nitrogen source.) 

For how long has your tank been running? 

Edited December 4, 2021 by darkG

[Ken]

The time required to cycle an aquarium is measured in weeks, sometimes lots of weeks. Try just leaving it alone for 2-3 weeks. I don't even test for the first 5-6 weeks, doing so just makes me want interfere. 

I do throw in a little pinch of food when I'm feeding the other tanks. I use ammonia to clean the kitchen, I can't imagine putting it in water I want to keep something alive in.

 

 

 

 

 

[Kyra Burnside]

On 12/3/2021 at 7:46 PM, darkG said:

If nothing is very wrong, the bacteria will soon be there in numbers to take away that ammonia, it seems your nitrites are rising now, as they should. 

I too added ammonia. (I still do, since I have no fish or other major nitrogen source.) 

For how long has your tank been running? 

Tank has been up and running for just about 2 months. I originally started ghost feeding it. Then I got 5 fish and they were in there for 3 weeks. I took the fish out when the cycle wasn't doing anything. I didn't have any nitrite. This whole week, starting from this Sunday, I've had the exact same numbers for ammonia and nitrite. Shouldn't it have done something more? It's a 40gal if that helps 

On 12/3/2021 at 8:20 PM, Ken said:

The time required to cycle an aquarium is measured in weeks, sometimes lots of weeks. Try just leaving it alone for 2-3 weeks. I don't even test for the first 5-6 weeks, doing so just makes me want interfere. 

I do throw in a little pinch of food when I'm feeding the other tanks. I use ammonia to clean the kitchen, I can't imagine putting it in water I want to keep something alive in.

 

 

 

 

 

I'm just not sure I know why it's not doing anything. It's been up and running for just about 2 months. I was recommended by an axolotl breeder to dose in ammonia actually. I've followed everything that was recommended and still haven't seen any changes

[Ken]

My best advise is to be patient, don't change anything and wait. Test every 3-4 days then you will see improvement. IME the cycle can take from about 7 weeks to about 3. I've not done the ammonia thing, in my mind it's like feeding someone who's hungry sugar instead of meat and potatoes.

[Kyra Burnside]

On 12/4/2021 at 8:58 PM, Ken said:

My best advise is to be patient, don't change anything and wait. Test every 3-4 days then you will see improvement. IME the cycle can take from about 7 weeks to about 3. I've not done the ammonia thing, in my mind it's like feeding someone who's hungry sugar instead of meat and potatoes.

But my concern is that I've had my other tank next to it only 1 week longer and it's already cycled. I did the exact same things I did to this one as well. So it's just odd to me. I appreciate your help though. Thank you for taking time out of your day to help

[Ken]

I started a 40 and a 10 on the same day a while back. The 40 ran through the steps just like it was supposed to, all cycled out in about 5 weeks. The 10 messed around (ammonia spikes, bacteria blooms or everything just stopped then started over) for at least 6 more weeks. They all get there eventually. 

[Mmiller2001]

My tanks took 3 months. Just wait it out.

[Ken Burke]

Sorry for jumping in the middle of this one, but having never actually done a fish-less cycle:

In all things fish-keeping - Patients is the key.  The struggle against trying to “fix it” is real, but any time you make a change you likely reset the clock.