I Am Worried About Cycle - Is This Normal?

[Em29]

I have had my tank for four weeks on Saturday.

I originally dosed tank up to 5ppm ammonia - nothing happened and all my live plants dies (was impatient and bought them to make tank look lovely). I removed all the dead plants and did a 75% water change.
Ammonia can down to 2ppm.

And there it has stayed. It is a 2ppm am, 0ppm ni2 and 0ppm ni3.

Nothing has happened. Temp is at 29 degrees. I tried to get some used filter material from maidenhead aquatics and was told off
Is this normal? If it is then I will be patient but isn't it taking a little long to still not be doing anything at all???

Sorry to nag you all

 

[the_lock_man]

Obviously the ammonia came down because of the water change. Sometimes it can take a while to start off, but one would have expected to see some bacterial action by now. What's your pH?

 

[Em29]

Hiya lockman you helped me the other day...
I am just concerned that nothing is changing still. PH is still 7.6. Everything seems right but yet no bacterial development. Should I dig the filter out and have a look at it?

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Might be a silly question, but...

You have been using dechlorinated water, haven't you?

 

[the_lock_man]

Might be a silly question, but...

You have been using dechlorinated water, haven't you?

And silly question no.2 - you have switched the filter pump on, haven't you?

pH and temperature are fine.

 

[Em29]

I like silly questions. Please treat me like a complete IDIOT!

Filter is on....agitating the water surface.
Yes dechlorinated water.

Any more idiot questions?? Oh what have done to this tank?

Maybe I should flip open the filter and take a closer look but that might disturb the ONE bacteria that is sleeping in there

 

[the_lock_man]

I like silly questions. Please treat me like a complete IDIOT!

Filter is on....agitating the water surface.
Yes dechlorinated water.

Any more idiot questions?? Oh what have done to this tank?

Maybe I should flip open the filter and take a closer look but that might disturb the ONE bacteria that is sleeping in there

There must be something wrong with the filter somewhere - if the one bacteria is sleeping, perhaps you'll wake it up and it'll do something?

 

[Em29]

Thanks lockman - I am going into the filter today.... I do not even know what I am looking for



Ok - I have JUST been into the filter and everything looks normal. All the things are in the right slots and have brown bits/ detritus in them as as used filter does. There is nothing happening. I have safe water.....Maybe I will put more tapsafe in just in case there is chlorine in the water left over killing the bacteria.....

And after that I am out of ideas. I spent £200 on this tank/ gravel and slate - feeling very deflated.

 

[the_lock_man]

Whereabouts do you live? We can see if anyone on here can donate some mature media.

 

[Em29]

Lock Man!! I have just put in some of my filter material sponge from my Fluval edge into the Fluval U. I know I maybe should have done this before but I was not confident on how to do it - Fluttermoth very kindly helped.


Thank you very very much for your help. Hopefully I will be well on the way now and I can leave you all in peace!!

 

[the_lock_man]

I have just put in some of my filter material sponge from my Fluval edge into the Fluval U. I know I maybe should have done this before

Since you'd asked MA for some, I assumed you didn't have any other tanks/filters yourself. Where's that "D'oh" smiley when you need one?

 

[Em29]

Yeah I didn't think I could use what small amount you get in the Fluval edge.... I have always been fine with a small tank but this is very new to me. I didn't fishless cycle three years ago when I got the Edge. I could only take out a third and hope it is enough to seed the larger filter.

Thanks again Lock man