Tank not cycling- fishless OR fish-in

[SNicole]

Hello all,

I posted a few weeks ago about my problems with my fishless cycling not taking off. I was at 3-4 ppm ammonia and after several weeks---the ammonia didn't drop at all and the nitrites or nitrates didn't rise either. It didn't make a difference even after doing a large water change. I posted on here and nobody really had any idea why it was happening except that it might be to do with a nutrient that could possibly be missing from my water. I used prime and stability.

Fast forward to 3 weeks after I gave up on the fishless cycling and decided to do a fish-in cycle with my 36 gallon bowfront. I added 5 fish (and later added 2 more from another tank as it was not a suitable tank for those 2 small fish--for a total of 7 small tropical fish in this tank. 3 days ago, I did the first water change. I was going to do one sooner---but the ammonia never rose. Seriously, I never had detectable ammonia..or nitrites..or nitrates. I test with the API kit. Finally, I changed the water anyhow just because I'm not comfortable letting the water sit for that long without being changed at all and to remove some solid waste from the substrate.

Why am I not seeing ammonia, nitrites, OR nitrates? 7 fish!!! Lol.

 

[Byron]

I would expect what you have observed under the circumstances. My only concern would be the initial "ammonia" you were adding several weeks ago; provided it was removed (water changes) before the fish went in, or handled by the Stability before the fish, you should see pretty much what you have been seeing here. [And I just read the older thread.]

Seven smallish fish in a 36g tank is not much of a bioload. Second, Stability does speed up the establishment of the nitrifying bacteria, I have myself used it like this and never detected ammonia or nitrite. Provided you do not increase the fish load too quickly, you should not have issues going forward.

You don't mention live plants; if these are present, they will be taking up ammonia/ammonium as well, and depending upon how many and how fast growing they are, this can make quite a difference. But even without live plants, the Stability should handle this with so few fish and in this volume of water.

Byron.

 

[SNicole]

Thanks!

I did several large water changes after the initial attempt at fishless cycling with ammonia and did not add fish until the ammonia was undetectable. However, I used stability with the fishless cycling and the numbers of the ammonia/nitrites/nitrates never changed either. I reckoned I got a bad bottle of stability--but it happened with two bottles now so I'm not sure.

I've already determined that the other fish I want are compatible with the other fish I have and suitable for my water type, but some of those fish are schooling fish. Could I add like a school of 5-8 at a time of each fish? Like one school every 3 weeks or so until I'm at my desired stocking level? The schooling fish are neon tetras, harlequin rasboras, and panda corys.

I wouldn't be concerned about the zero ammonia and zero nitrites, except for the fact that there is also zero nitrates. So I'm hoping that something isn't wrong with the nutrients in my tap water. I was under the impression that I should be seeing at least nitrates.

Also, one more thing while I'm here! Many of the fish in my tank right now are pooping what looks like translucent "poop" with whitish spots in the string. Is this a parasite or infection of some kind or am I being too worrisome over the fish?

Edited to add: I do not have any live plants.

 

[Byron]

I did several large water changes after the initial attempt at fishless cycling with ammonia and did not add fish until the ammonia was undetectable. However, I used stability with the fishless cycling and the numbers of the ammonia/nitrites/nitrates never changed either. I reckoned I got a bad bottle of stability--but it happened with two bottles now so I'm not sure.

I wouldn't jump to the conclusion that the Stability was bad, or didn't work, quite the opposite. When I have used it, I have not had any ammonia or nitrite. Now, I don't add amonia directly, so obviously you would see this. But assuming the Stability is working as it should, the idea is to avoid nitrite rising to detectable (dangerous) levels. So that seems normal.

I wouldn't be concerned about the zero ammonia and zero nitrites, except for the fact that there is also zero nitrates. So I'm hoping that something isn't wrong with the nutrients in my tap water. I was under the impression that I should be seeing at least nitrates.

This I can't definitively answer. The couple of times I've used Stability were specific issues (a medication wiped out the bacteria) and my only concern was no nitrite, so I never tested for nitrate. The nitrites disappeared within hours (with a major water change too) and that was all I cared about.

I've already determined that the other fish I want are compatible with the other fish I have and suitable for my water type, but some of those fish are schooling fish. Could I add like a school of 5-8 at a time of each fish? Like one school every 3 weeks or so until I'm at my desired stocking level? The schooling fish are neon tetras, harlequin rasboras, and panda corys.

Generally, shoaling fish should be acquired together and added to the tank together. In some species this avoids hierarchies appearing (which can occur quickly, depending) before the entire group is present. But ewven with peaceful species, the more there are in the group, the faster they will establish, settle and stress significantly lessened. This is borne out when you add any group of tetra to a new tank--they stay together, even though later they may spread out. Safety in numbers, so the more there are, the less stress. Cories are especially sensitive this way, but so are characins and rasboras. In this size tank, with such smallish fish, there will be no cycling issues.

I know next to nothing of disease issues, and have never seen what you describe, so I will not guess but leave that to the more experienced.

Byron.