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Katz510

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i started cycling a 29G with an HOB+ sponge filter, and 100w heater on MAY20th itā€™s Aug and Iā€™m still not cycled.

I added pure ammonia up to 4ppm
Two weeks later I got nitrite readings, once ammonia dropped to 0.25 I dosed ammonia back up to 4ppm my nitrites have been at 1ppm since I first got readings of it and no higher or less. Every time my ammonia drops less then 2ppm I add ammonia back up to 4ppm my nitrites remain the same at 1ppm. I have 0 Nitrates. Iā€™m about to give up because I have no idea what else to do. Temp 82-84 F any help/advice would be highly appreciated, thanks in advance.
 
Try some Tetra Safe Start +. I assume this a fishless cycle. The Safe Start is bottled bacteria and does work well. Pour the Safe Start + in the filter and in the water. If you use Seachem Prime to dechlorinate your water donā€™t use it for 24 hours as it will destroy the bottled bacteria. Use another dechlorinator until then. Donā€™t do any water changes unless your ammonia or nitrites get over 5ppm. Just let the bacteria grow. If you know anyone that will give you some gravel or part of their filter media then this will speed things along too. Beneficial bacteria grows on both. It doesnā€™t live in tank water so using that will do no good. Be sure to keep the gravel and media wet in some tank water while your taking it to your house so it doesnā€™t dry out. Never use tap water to clean your media as chlorine will destroy the beneficial bacteria. I think with these steps youā€™ll be cycled soon. Good luck and keep us posted!
 
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Hi and welcome to the forum :)

What sort of filter do you have and have you been cleaning it?
If you have been cleaning the filter, how did you clean it?

Take a sample of tank water to your local pet shop and ask them to test the ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. Take your test kits and test the same sample of water at the same time, then compare results. You might have a faulty nitrite kit.

If the tank has been cycling for several months and the ammonia is being reduced, then something is happening. I will wait until you tell me about the filter before making more suggestions but you might be able to put fish in the tank. But get it tested first and post the results and answers here before getting any.

If you can post a picture of the tank it might give us a few clews too :)
 
Go through this process again but add some fish food along with the ammonia. If Ammonia drops, and you get Nitrites followed a week or so later by Nitrates (even if it still shows Nitrites) - I would assume your nitrate test is bad as well - but if you also NEVER get Nitrates at all - then you definitely have something weird with the water or the filter. Have you tested the PH? Does anything you do change the pH. Have you added driftwood while the tank is cycling - that has a chemical effect (not necessarily a bad one) HOW FRUSTRATING!! I recently doubled the number of fish in two tanks and set them both off cycling again to adjust for the new fish - I have the opposite issue - I always have ammonia and nitrates but NEVER nitrites. Finally got just a very low reading on my small tank today. Best of luck to you. You know so many people get fish, purify the water and throw in there fish the next day without any problems - so when you are trying to be so professional and keep stress on your fish to a minimum - your paying for it!
 
Thank you all so much for your responses. I am going to attach pictures of my readings through out the past months on the picture is the date of the reading. My pH is 7.6. Iā€™m also uploading a picture of my tank. I havenā€™t done any cleaning at all to my tank because thereā€™s no live stock. I currently have an aqueon hob filter and I also added a sponge filter. I donā€™t use prime to condition I used aqueon water conditioner when I set the tank up. I was able to get a bottle of seachem stability and started dosing yesterday after reading these posts. Any other suggestions?
 

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If the nitrite kit is faulty, you could have a high nitrite reading that has caused the cycle to stall.

Drain the tank and refill it with dechlorinated water and add ammonia so the level is 3ppm. Test the ammonia and nitrite after 24 hours. If there is no ammonia after 24 hours, then add a few fish and finish the cycle with fish in the tank.

Increase aeration/ surface turbulence to maximise the oxygen level in the tank.

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You need a picture on the back of the tank to make the fish feel more secure.
 
Thanks for the advice will perform a water change this evening after work, Iā€™m also going to try and pick up a new kit. Shouldnā€™t nitrates show up if I do have high nitrites? This is so stressful. Also I added a picture to my tank. Thanks for the advice Colin.
 
Don't bother getting a new test kit yet. Take some water to the local pet shop and get them to test it. Test the same water at the same time with your kit and see if they give the same results. If the shop test and your test give the same results then the kit is ok.

If you have a nitrite reading, it will show up as nitrate too.

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I finally had a good look at the pics, you have had a nitrite reading for over a month and it should have cycled by now. Do ammonia, nitrite, nitrate and pH tests before you do a water change tonight. Take a picture of them and post it here. Then drain the tank and refill it.

Keep a sample of the tank water before you drain it, and take that sample to the pet shop for testing.
 
I will post the pictures of my readings later on today before doing the water change. Thanks again.
 
Hi again, was to tired last night from work to post anything! But here are todayā€™s readings which are the same the pet store gave me. About 2ppm ammonia and 0.50-1ppm nitrite.

Iā€™m going to drain it today and add the 3ppm ammonia and see what happens...
 

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