Ammonia in Week 5

[StanTheBetta]

I'm posting again about my 10 gal because it will not cycle. Saturday would have been 5 full weeks so I'm going into week 6 and I still have ammonia and I still have NOT had any nitrites. My other platy died today and I tested the water after I didn't feed them for the last 2 days and the ammonia was at 3.0 ppm I did a 25% water change because it was so high. I've been doing about a 15% change every 2 days. Its getting very frustrating that my tank won't even begin to cycle. Last weekend I was so angry with it I went to the lps to buy Bio Spira even though its rather expensive but as luck would have it the one store that carries it didn't have any. Here I am a week later and I don't know what the hell I'm gonna do.

 

[Sorrell]

Do you have any friends or a LFS that you could get some media from?

 

[StanTheBetta]

Theres only two LPS with fish Petco and a local store. The petco people aren't the most helpful and the other store sells bio spira and I kind of figured they wouldn't help me with cycling my tank since they'd want to sell bio spira. I could be wrong though I never asked. I did however just remember my gf's dad has a 250 gallon fish pond that perhaps I could get some filter media from if that would work.

 

[tstenback]

Sorry about your Platy Have you had the lfs or a friend test the water for you? After 5 weeks there should be plenty of nitrite around so i would make sure the test kit is functioning properly. What is the makeup of your tank? Are you using any chemicals or have you used any during the cycle? Are there any fish left in the tank? Media from any source would help but i am mystified at why you would not have any nitrite now. Keep us posted maybe we can talk/walk you through this.

 

[Salt Freak]

go to petco or petsmart by a bacteria starter it says stress zyme in a yellow bottle aquariam pharmicutal makes it. put 2 teaspoons in a week later put another 2 and twoweeks later put another 2. after that you can slow down I put 1 teaspoon every time i change my water in my tanks.

 

[Salt Freak]

Oh ya PM me tell me if it works are not.

 

[kribs mate]

STRESS ZYME IS A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME

ok it states it has millions of live bacteria per spoonfull. big deal. it doesnt give any noticeable results at all. it might help a little but nothing that you would notice. a complete waste of money. any form of ornament or substrate from a disease free established tank will contain a lot more beneficial bacteria that a whole pallet of stress zyme. (ok a little drastic there but you get the idea)

also whats the shelf life on stress zyme? does it say it should be kep in certain conditions at all?

personally i would not wate my money on such rubbish.

 

[modernhamlet]

Theres only two LPS with fish Petco and a local store. The petco people aren't the most helpful and the other store sells bio spira and I kind of figured they wouldn't help me with cycling my tank since they'd want to sell bio spira. I could be wrong though I never asked. I did however just remember my gf's dad has a 250 gallon fish pond that perhaps I could get some filter media from if that would work.

Go to the LFS and ask them for a little gravel or filter media to help with your tank cycling. My LFS sold Bio-Spira too, but they still gave me media when I asked.

If, for whatever reason, they say "no" go to Petco and buy a couple of plants, just to spite them. The plants should have the bacteria on them, though not in the same quantity as gravel would.

 

[StanTheBetta]

Sorry about your Platy Have you had the lfs or a friend test the water for you? After 5 weeks there should be plenty of nitrite around so i would make sure the test kit is functioning properly. What is the makeup of your tank? Are you using any chemicals or have you used any during the cycle? Are there any fish left in the tank? Media from any source would help but i am mystified at why you would not have any nitrite now. Keep us posted maybe we can talk/walk you through this.

I don't think its the test kits because it gives makes sense theres high ammonia when theres no nitrite and my betta tank the ammonia tested lower and tap water was 0 as it should be. As for getting the media I'll try to do it thursday because I have a lot of stuff do for classes tomorrow and wednesday. I should also be getting a 20 gal long tank from a friend very soon Hope I don't have as many problems with it.

 

[modernhamlet]

In the meantime, I would suggest you change 25% of the water daily. You have to keep the ammonia down if you want to save the rest of the fish.

 

[StanTheBetta]

*sigh* checked the water again today. Ammonia still between 2.0 and 3.0. Still 0 nitrites. I don't think its the test kits because my 1 gal tank for my betta reads .5 ammonia (still uncycled as well) and the tap water reads 0 ammonia. Today was my birthday and having the ammonia go down and having some nitrites would have been a nice birthday present, but alas no luck. Saturday the tank will have been up 6 full weeks. If I buy bio spira will it have the bacteria to convert ammonia to nitrIte? I believe I read somewhere it only contains the bacteria that oxidize nitrIte into nitrAte but I could be wrong. Hopefully the lfs gets some in soon or I'm gonna cry

*Edit*
Some additional information:
Test kits are from drop kind from Aquarium Pharmaceuticals Inc. In week 2 through week 3 I had ich and I treated by raising the temperature to 85 and I added a bit of aqaurium salt. (Could salt have possible affect on cycle?)
Also I did a 25% water change after the test to try to get it down just so you know.

 

[modernhamlet]

1. Bio-Spira has both kinds of bacteria.

2. Keep your head up! Remember: Your tank will cycle. It is inevitable. Just take care of the fish while it happens and don't worry too much about it. Stressing out doesn't get ya anywhere. Trust me on that one!

3. Happy Birthday!

 

[Mesome]

I had a lot of trouble cycling my 10 gallon tank also. I finally bought a penguin bio wheel filter and put a bio sponge on the part that sucks the water (sorry for the lame terminology). I've been using Cycle by Nutrafin to add bacteria. Despite what kribs mate says, it's not really a complete waste of money. It is not as expensive as reaplcing your fish..... After that though, I haven't had any other problems. I had been at it for about 5-6 weeks as well.
Good Luck!

 

[StanTheBetta]

I read the article on Bio Spira and it said Cycle contains the bacteria Nitrosomas and Nitrobacter (sp?) which are not the bacteria responsibly for nitrifying in aquariums. Anyways I'm going to my gfs tonight to test the water on her 2.5 gal and 1 gal tank to see if they're cycled and if its cycled I might grab a plant. Her tanks are small but they've been up a lot longer than mine so maybe they'll be useful? If not I'll see if th eres something in there pond I can take hehe not much in terms of plants in there but I'm sure I'll figure out something I can take?

 

[Salt Freak]

you could always use cycle it is very effective it also is a bacteria additive stress zyme is good stuff it brought ammonia levels down from 5ppm to 0 in a couple of hours.