20G Wont Cyce

[Stumpjumper]

I have a 20g that has been up and running over 3 months now and it will not cycle. I used superbac initially and set it up with fish, it cycled within 2 weeks but I had an ich outbreak and had to treat with Ridich and the stuff killed my beneficial bacteria. Since then I used carbon to remove the meds and have done hundreds of gallons of water changes. and no matter what I did it will not cycle again. I have tried Tetra Safe Start, I tried seeding it with my 55g filter media and nothing.

I thought maybe it was cycled but my filter wasn't doing a sufficient job of filtering the water so I added another HOB filter so now it has dual HOB's running a 75g capacity filtration.

I still have ammonia reading up to 1ppm within a few days of not changing the water, 0 nitrites and 20ppm nitrates. (My tap water has nitrates) I am using an API Master kit that is new and not outdated.

I'm not sure what to do. The tank is even growing some green hair algae and diatoms...

It currently has 1 gold gourami, 1 molly, 2 white tetras and 2 neon tetras, far from overstocked.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

This baffles me, but I'm a newbie with cycling. I'm wondering if something else might have caused this? Soap or anything like that?


Sorry t hear about your struggles, but you've come to the right place. I have confidence that the folks here will be able to help you sort it out.

 

[Stumpjumper]

This baffles me, but I'm a newbie with cycling. I'm wondering if something else might have caused this? Soap or anything like that?


Sorry t hear about your struggles, but you've come to the right place. I have confidence that the folks here will be able to help you sort it out.

Thanks, I haven't done anything differently with it then I have done with my 55g and that is running strong and healthy.. it is a 55g with 21 Mbuna's in it so it is overstocked and I still have no problems with it.

 

[KISSfn]

Don't trust your API ammonia test results until YOU test it for accuracy. My story here: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/361210-api-master-test-kit-info/

 

[This Old Spouse]

Are you sure nothing has died in there? That's so odd that your ammonia keeps creeping up like that.

 

[The chilly dipper]

I have a 20g that has been up and running over 3 months now and it will not cycle. I used superbac initially and set it up with fish, it cycled within 2 weeks but I had an ich outbreak and had to treat with Ridich and the stuff killed my beneficial bacteria. Since then I used carbon to remove the meds and have done hundreds of gallons of water changes. and no matter what I did it will not cycle again. I have tried Tetra Safe Start, I tried seeding it with my 55g filter media and nothing.

I thought maybe it was cycled but my filter wasn't doing a sufficient job of filtering the water so I added another HOB filter so now it has dual HOB's running a 75g capacity filtration.

I still have ammonia reading up to 1ppm within a few days of not changing the water, 0 nitrites and 20ppm nitrates. (My tap water has nitrates) I am using an API Master kit that is new and not outdated.

I'm not sure what to do. The tank is even growing some green hair algae and diatoms...

It currently has 1 gold gourami, 1 molly, 2 white tetras and 2 neon tetras, far from overstocked.

are your fish showing any kind of struggle?
or symptoms of ammonia or nitrite poisoning ?

 

[Stumpjumper]

are your fish showing any kind of struggle?
or symptoms of ammonia or nitrite poisoning ?

Actually yes, the molly is dying... She's been laying on the bottom of the tank for a few days now, very disoriented and when she tries to swim she just flashes in a tight circle... Keep hoping she pulls out of it but I don't think she will. The rest of the fish are fine.


Unbelievably today I tested the tank and have 0 Ammonia and .25 nitrites.... finally something is happening....!!!

 

[The chilly dipper]

are your fish showing any kind of struggle?
or symptoms of ammonia or nitrite poisoning ?

Actually yes, the molly is dying... She's been laying on the bottom of the tank for a few days now, very disoriented and when she tries to swim she just flashes in a tight circle... Keep hoping she pulls out of it but I don't think she will. The rest of the fish are fine.


Unbelievably today I tested the tank and have 0 Ammonia and .25 nitrites.... finally something is happening....!!!

it may be too late for her but make sure you keep everything as low as possible

get the mollie out of there if possible.if not keep the waterchanges going
keep an eye on everyone.

flashing may be the onset of a infection or parasite due to stress but more than likely is the ammonia poisoning.

even if you have no ammonia try to keep the nitrite low too as this causes discomfort too.

 

[OldMan47]

The "discomfort" of nitrites is simple suffocation. Nitrites displace oxygen in the fish's circulatory system much the way carbon monoxide displaces oxygen in a mammal's blood system. Unless you control the nitrites, the fish will suffer permanent damage.