Fishless Cycle For 3 Weeks No Luck

[snipesxxx]

Title says it all. Still reads 4-5 on the ammonia, no nitrites, PH is 7.8 - 8.0. Temp is at 84, air stone, filter and all have been going.

Why is the ammonia not moving? Using API Mast Test. I've got to where I am checking it every few days instead of everyday. Ammonia came from Ace Hardware and doesn't list ingredients, just 10% ammonia and its like shaking a bottle of water. Only thing is I did have some fish in it to begin with but I took them back to the pet shop because I read fishless cycle is my best bet, that and I didn't want to take a chance on killing anything.

I kept the same filter and its quite dirty from when I had the fish.

 

[toshapetriji]

You should start a new thread here it would make things easier.

However

Do you a reading for Nitrite? If yes then some ammonia is processing. If not you could be using ammonia with surfactants in it which will not work anyway. (shake the bottle, does it foam? You dont want it to)

a ph crash will aslo stall a cycle.

Please post a new thread here and give reading for ammonia, nitrite and ph in it and someone will help you out. Make sure the ammonia is pure.

*edit spelling*

 

[snipesxxx]

edited

 

[toshapetriji]

Other than adding ammonia have you done anything else to the tank? Any other chemicals added because I would have expected the cycle to have started if you are sure the ammonia being used is OK.

 

[stickyemu]

my took 4 weeks to start but i did get a hand full of gravel form lfs tank on week 3 and put in my filter you should ask them for some

 

[Rooster]

This "could" take months ! Its just a waiting game, unless you can blag some "seeding" media... post your location and see if theres a local willing to lend a hand - failing that, ask the LFS to give you a bag of filter squeezings... if they wont, want to charge, or dont know what this is - then find a better shop !

 

[snipesxxx]

I bit the bullet and called one more place about seeding material. Some dude answered and apparently knew little bit about fishless cycle. However he only really heard of the fish flake method. He didn't mind one bit to give me a couple hand full of gravel.

He recommended dropping the ammonia to 0.25 and temp to 76-78. Guessing I should keep things as is and add gravel to stockings?

 

[OldMan47]

If you have a good spot in the filter for that handful of gravel you will be in business in a week or two at the most. It will drop the ammonia for you within a couple of days most likely.

 

[snipesxxx]

If you have a good spot in the filter for that handful of gravel you will be in business in a week or two at the most. It will drop the ammonia for you within a couple of days most likely.

I was gonna do that and the guy at the pet shop said it sounded like a good idea, but before I left he mentioned the propeller or something in there and the gravel getting caught in it. So I put them in stockings instead. I have a Tetra Whisper. Any suggestions on the best place to put it? Its the same color as the gravel I am using in my tank.

 

[OldMan47]

In a tetra whisper I would put it in the space behind the filter cartridge. You can leave it in the stocking but that would put it right in front of the filter as far as the flow path is concerned. You might have to ease it into place a bit at a time if it is at all bulky.