Cycling is taking forever

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I would top up the tank with tap water while you are cycling and keep it full volume. When you've topped up the water, wait half an hour to let the new water mix in then test for ammonia and nitrite. If they fulfil the criteria (ammonia under 0.25 and nitrite under 1.0) then add a 3 ppm dose of ammonia. If they are not below those levels, wait till they are before adding more ammonia.
 
I would top up the tank with tap water while you are cycling and keep it full volume. When you've topped up the water, wait half an hour to let the new water mix in then test for ammonia and nitrite. If they fulfil the criteria (ammonia under 0.25 and nitrite under 1.0) then add a 3 ppm dose of ammonia. If they are not below those levels, wait till they are before adding more ammonia.
Okay, I was always told to not do a water change during cycling, but I'll give it a go.
 
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It's not a water change; it's keeping the level of water topped up. With a water change you remove stuff from the tank. With topping it up, you don't remove anything.
This is fine during cycling; it doesn't matter that the dissolved stuff eg hardness minerals stay in the water and topping up adds more of them.


Once you have fish, that's different.
 
It's not a water change; it's keeping the level of water topped up. With a water change you remove stuff from the tank. With topping it up, you don't remove anything.
This is fine during cycling; it doesn't matter that the dissolved stuff eg hardness minerals stay in the water and topping up adds more of them.


Once you have fish, that's different.

Okay, so I went ahead and topped off my tank and I think you were absolutely right. The amount I was putting in my tank before (with the minus 16 gallons) is so close decimal wise to the amount when my tank is full, that it's essentially the same amount of ammonia with the additional 16 gallons. I was impatient and tested my tank 12 hrs after and my results were around 0.25 for ammonia and 0.50 for nitrite. I also checked my nitrates and they were 40. So, I think in another 12 hrs, my tank will be ready! Yay!

Thanks so much for your help. I will let you know what the results in 12 hrs say.
 
It's not a water change; it's keeping the level of water topped up. With a water change you remove stuff from the tank. With topping it up, you don't remove anything.
This is fine during cycling; it doesn't matter that the dissolved stuff eg hardness minerals stay in the water and topping up adds more of them.


Once you have fish, that's different.
So, I tested in 24 hrs and still not ready!!! Still getting the same readings pretty much :( my ammonia & nitrite are both still 0.50 ppm. Am I doing the dosing right for the ammonia?
The calculations of my tank is: 31 length, 11 width, and 18 height. That’s not including the sand. When I do the math, it’s around 1/5 or 0.2 tsp of ammonia when I convert it from mg to tsp. So I put in a little less than a 1/4 tsp into my tank.
Am I doing something wrong?
 
Just a suggestion but you could start over and buy Tetra SafeStart Plus. I usually do what is called a silent cycle but I tried SafeStart when I set up my bother-in-laws 20 gallon tank and it worked. ;)
How long did it take and how did you k ow when the tank was fully cycled? I looked it up and it said it immediately cycles your tank, but that’s hard to believe
 
What is the ammonia you are using? Does it say on the bottle what the % is? If it gives a % you can use the calculator on here to work out how much to use https://www.fishforums.net/aquarium-calculator.htm You can aslo use the calculator to work out the volume of the tank from the dimensions (27 gallons) though if the height is to the top of the glass you need to measure from the top of the substrate to the top of the water for the height.
Just change the % to whatever the bottle says, then add the water volume in litres or gallons. That will give the amount of ammonia you need for 3 ppm in mls.
Using your dimensions and assuming your ammonia is 9.5%, you would need 3.23 ml ammonia, or around 2/3 of a teaspoon of ammonia. But that amount depends on your ammonia being 9.5% and the height of 18 inches being the height of water rather than the height of the glass.

No bottled bacteria cycles a tank for a fully stocked fish load instantly. The Safe Start instructions say to add "a moderate number of fish", which means you have to add fish a few at a time over several weeks. With fishless cycling, you can get almost all yuor fish list as soon as the cycle finishes - I prefer to stay with 75% rather than 100% to make sure and if there is no trace of ammonia or nitrite for a week, get the rest.
 
What is the ammonia you are using? Does it say on the bottle what the % is? If it gives a % you can use the calculator on here to work out how much to use https://www.fishforums.net/aquarium-calculator.htm You can aslo use the calculator to work out the volume of the tank from the dimensions (27 gallons) though if the height is to the top of the glass you need to measure from the top of the substrate to the top of the water for the height.
Just change the % to whatever the bottle says, then add the water volume in litres or gallons. That will give the amount of ammonia you need for 3 ppm in mls.
Using your dimensions and assuming your ammonia is 9.5%, you would need 3.23 ml ammonia, or around 2/3 of a teaspoon of ammonia. But that amount depends on your ammonia being 9.5% and the height of 18 inches being the height of water rather than the height of the glass.

No bottled bacteria cycles a tank for a fully stocked fish load instantly. The Safe Start instructions say to add "a moderate number of fish", which means you have to add fish a few at a time over several weeks. With fishless cycling, you can get almost all yuor fish list as soon as the cycle finishes - I prefer to stay with 75% rather than 100% to make sure and if there is no trace of ammonia or nitrite for a week, get the rest.
Hmmm, I don’t see a %, it just says 1 tsp (4.5g) per 100 gallons. Also, that’s the website I’ve been using to find the volume of my tank. I just don’t know if I’m doing the math right by getting 0.2 of a tsp. And yes, I’m not adding in the substrate and only measuring where the water resides.

i only have 3 fish in my other tank right no, I wonder if it would be ok to add them into my new tank once my ammonia & nitrite is 0? I wouldn’t add any more ammonia, of course. Also when I tested my nitrate last, it was 40ppm, is that good or bad?
 
What brand is the ammonia? And which website are you using to calculate the amount?
There is no way to work out how much to use unless you know how strong the ammonia is, except for Dr Tim's Ammonia, and that tells you the number of drops per gallon. Most ammonia seems to be 9.5% though I did find some on Ebay once that was 35%.

The simplest way to find the tank volume is to use the calculator on here. You need the side to side length, the front to back depth and the height from the top of the substrate to the top of the water.
 
What brand is the ammonia? And which website are you using to calculate the amount?
There is no way to work out how much to use unless you know how strong the ammonia is, except for Dr Tim's Ammonia, and that tells you the number of drops per gallon. Most ammonia seems to be 9.5% though I did find some on Ebay once that was 35%.

The simplest way to find the tank volume is to use the calculator on here. You need the side to side length, the front to back depth and the height from the top of the substrate to the top of the water.
Fritz pro aquatics, it says 500gm on the bottle if that helps. I’m using that website you mentioned but like you said, I need the %ammonia, so I’ve just been doing the math according to the bottle
 
Ahhhh - are you using their tub of ammonium chloride powder? https://fritzaquatics.com/products/ammonium-chloride

We have been talking at cross purposes. Most of us use a bottle of ammonia dissolved in water, or Dr Tim's Ammonia which is ammonium chloride dissolved in water. These are all liquids not powder.

OK, so 1 teaspoon of powder in 100 gallons takes ammonia in the tank water to 4 ppm. You need to get it to 3 ppm not 4.
So 3/4 teaspoon per 100 gallons.
If your tank is 25 gallons you need a 1/4 of 3/4 teaspoon which is 0.18 of a teaspoon, or just less than 1/5 teaspoon.

To be honest, that amount would be much easier if you dissolved some powder in water, then used some of that water to dose the tank. It would be much easier than trying to measure small portion of a teaspoon of powder

Do you have anything to measure mls with? If you do, I suggest you make up a solution of 1 teaspoon powder in 100 ml water and keep it in a bottle with a tight lid. Add 20 ml of this water to the tank, that 20 ml will contain 1/5 teaspoon of powder.
Wait half an hour for it to mix in then test the ammonia level. If that gives 3 ppm, great. If it's less than 3 ppm add a bit more. If it's over 3 ppm, leave it but if you need to add it again, use less than 20 ml.
 
Ahhhh - are you using their tub of ammonium chloride powder? https://fritzaquatics.com/products/ammonium-chloride

We have been talking at cross purposes. Most of us use a bottle of ammonia dissolved in water, or Dr Tim's Ammonia which is ammonium chloride dissolved in water. These are all liquids not powder.

OK, so 1 teaspoon of powder in 100 gallons takes ammonia in the tank water to 4 ppm. You need to get it to 3 ppm not 4.
So 3/4 teaspoon per 100 gallons.
If your tank is 25 gallons you need a 1/4 of 3/4 teaspoon which is 0.18 of a teaspoon, or just less than 1/5 teaspoon.

To be honest, that amount would be much easier if you dissolved some powder in water, then used some of that water to dose the tank. It would be much easier than trying to measure small portion of a teaspoon of powder

Do you have anything to measure mls with? If you do, I suggest you make up a solution of 1 teaspoon powder in 100 ml water and keep it in a bottle with a tight lid. Add 20 ml of this water to the tank, that 20 ml will contain 1/5 teaspoon of powder.
Wait half an hour for it to mix in then test the ammonia level. If that gives 3 ppm, great. If it's less than 3 ppm add a bit more. If it's over 3 ppm, leave it but if you need to add it again, use less than 20 ml.
I don’t have anything to measure ml unFortunately :( but you say less than 1/5 tsp which is a tiny bit more than I was doing. I was doing about a 1/5 tsp. But okay, it’s good to know my math isn’t that off. I’ll try a little less and see what happens. Any other suggestions on speeding the process up? I’m becoming incredibly impatient haha and what should my goal in terms of nitrates be? 40ppm?
 
There is no goal for nitrate. The amount at the end of the cycle depends on how much ammonia had to be added to get to the end. Every 1 ppm ammonia we add is converted to 3.6 ppm nitrate.

At the end of the cycle, we do a very large water change to remove all that nitrate and get the level back to the same as in our tap water.
 
There is no goal for nitrate. The amount at the end of the cycle depends on how much ammonia had to be added to get to the end. Every 1 ppm ammonia we add is converted to 3.6 ppm nitrate.

At the end of the cycle, we do a very large water change to remove all that nitrate and get the level back to the same as in our tap water.
Okay, sounds good. Thanks for all your help! I’ll keep you updated on the progress
 
My brain wasn't working properly yesterday. After I turned my laptop off I realised you don't need to be able to measure mls. All you need is to dissolve it in water, any amount, then add a fifth of that to the tank. You just need to be able to measure 1/5 of the ammonium chloride water. For example, 5 measuring cups water to make the solution, and add 1 cup to the tank.
You'll also need a container with a tight lid to store the rest of the ammonium chloride water, then next time you need to add ammonia add another fifth.
 

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