My Ammonia Won't Spike To Begin My Cycle? Someone Help?

[mgx42]

Okay so after using a different aquarium forum site and receiving close to nothing from the members I decided to make an account on here, hopefully you guys can give me more help.

Anyway, I set up a 20gallon (high) freshwater aquarium about a week ago. I am doing a "fish-in" cycle with 4 zebra danios. I am using an aqueon quietflow 20 filter and a fluval m-100w heater. At first I used my tap water by conditioning it and letting the filter run for a day or two before putting the fish in. I bought the fish and instantly they got sick and died within 2 days. To my surprise, my tap water had ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate in it. So I immediately did a 90% water change and used spring (drinking) water the second time around, dechlorinated it with a double dose of prime, and put 4 "new" zebra danios in a day later. The new (spring) water I used tests 0-ammonia, 0-nitrite, and 5.0-nitrate. These danio are extremely happy, social, and active. My problem is that the new fish (and water) have been in the tank for 4 days without any pwc's and I have yet to see any ammonia spikes. I've been testing the water every day for the past 4 days and got the same readings I described above every time. I feed the danios daily so I'm really confused as to why I have seen no ammonia at all. I am testing correctly and I'm using an API Master kit. Also, the water has a very slight fog to it now so I know for a fact there's waste in there, (but no ammonia?..). Today (day 4) I tested my water when I got home, and I got 0-ammonia, 0-nitrite, 5.0-nitrate. Keep in mind this tank was only put together about a week ago (so please, don't tell me that those results mean my tank is cycled...because its not.). Can somebody PLEASE shed some light and tell me what you think the problem is here? Other information is: my tank is at 82 degrees fahrenheit, I have one nubius nana plant in there, as well as an airstone, and my PH is 7.5.

All of your advice is extremely appreciated. Thank you for your time, and thanks for reading about my problem.

 

[brian1]

As far as I can see,you must have built up enough friendly bacteria to cope with what you have, your readings are perfect, your temp is in my opinion too high,I cycled my tank in 2 weeks with bacteria from my lfs and it's been fine,what have you got in your filter?? It always take time for a filter to make it crystal clear.......

 

[snazy]

Welcome to the forum!!!

It's quite strange that you are not getting ammonia yet, it's probably too early for nitrItes anyways. If you have just one anubias, then this couldn't be the ammonia eater either. If the tank was cycled, which I highly doubt, then the nitrAtes would be rising as well(are you shaking bottle 2 of the NitrAte test for a minute before testing?). You should either double check just in case your ammonia test is gone bad. In a couple of days you really should have an ammonia reading and once it spikes, it can get quite high so keep testing.

Prime works for a period of time(about 24 hours) then gets inactive so if you do get ammonia reading do a large water change and add prime.

Just on a side note, once you are done with the cycle, don't keep the danios in such a high temperature.

 

[mgx42]

As far as I can see,you must have built up enough friendly bacteria to cope with what you have, your readings are perfect, your temp is in my opinion too high,I cycled my tank in 2 weeks with bacteria from my lfs and it's been fine,what have you got in your filter?? It always take time for a filter to make it crystal clear.......

Thanks for the reply. I just have the standard cartridge that came with the aqueon filter. So from what you are saying, I have the "ammonia eating" bacteria already in there? If that were the case wouldn't I be seeing Nitrite readings? Or do you think since the tap water had nitrite in it too that the "nitrite eating" bacteria started to form as well?

 

[mgx42]

Welcome to the forum!!!

It's quite strange that you are not getting ammonia yet, it's probably too early for nitrItes anyways. If you have just one anubias, then this couldn't be the ammonia eater either. If the tank was cycled, which I highly doubt, then the nitrAtes would be rising as well(are you shaking bottle 2 of the NitrAte test for a minute before testing?). You should either double check just in case your ammonia test is gone bad. In a couple of days you really should have an ammonia reading and once it spikes, it can get quite high so keep testing.

Prime works for a period of time(about 24 hours) then gets inactive so if you do get ammonia reading do a large water change and add prime.

Just on a side note, once you are done with the cycle, don't keep the danios in such a high temperature.

Thanks. Yeah I'm very anal about testing, I make sure I shake the bottle and accurately put drops in the test tube. The ammonia test does work because I actually tested water from someone else's tank that did in fact have ammonia in it and the test came up very positive. As for the temp. I turned it down to 80, just wanted it to be on the warm side for the bacteria to grow.

 

[snazy]

Leave the temperature up for the cycle. The fish will be fine for a while and is better for the cycle. Once cycled, turn it down slowly. Unfortunately, there's not much I can help now, let us know the results of the tests over the next few days and keep an eye on the fish for stress signs in between testing.

 

[mgx42]

Leave the temperature up for the cycle. The fish will be fine for a while and is better for the cycle. Once cycled, turn it down slowly. Unfortunately, there's not much I can help now, let us know the results of the tests over the next few days and keep an eye on the fish for stress signs in between testing.

Will do. Thanks for the advice

 

[brian1]

As far as I can see,you must have built up enough friendly bacteria to cope with what you have, your readings are perfect, your temp is in my opinion too high,I cycled my tank in 2 weeks with bacteria from my lfs and it's been fine,what have you got in your filter?? It always take time for a filter to make it crystal clear.......

Thanks for the reply. I just have the standard cartridge that came with the aqueon filter. So from what you are saying, I have the "ammonia eating" bacteria already in there? If that were the case wouldn't I be seeing Nitrite readings? Or do you think since the tap water had nitrite in it too that the "nitrite eating" bacteria started to form as well?

well the filter must have some in or your reading would show ammonia or nitrite at least, you know not to wash your filter out with tap water, just use the tank water when your doing a water change, give it a sqeeze..as Snazy say's keep doing a test....

 

[beccalovely]

I'm only a newbie but how long since you added the Prime? I've read in a few places that it can 'hide' ammonia readings in some cases.
My cycle is fish-in as well, and the first ammonia spike was 3 days after adding three little guppies (it's only a 30L tank though so don't know if it happened quicker because it's small?)

Good luck though, keep us updated on how you get on.

 

[mgx42]

As far as I can see,you must have built up enough friendly bacteria to cope with what you have, your readings are perfect, your temp is in my opinion too high,I cycled my tank in 2 weeks with bacteria from my lfs and it's been fine,what have you got in your filter?? It always take time for a filter to make it crystal clear.......

Thanks for the reply. I just have the standard cartridge that came with the aqueon filter. So from what you are saying, I have the "ammonia eating" bacteria already in there? If that were the case wouldn't I be seeing Nitrite readings? Or do you think since the tap water had nitrite in it too that the "nitrite eating" bacteria started to form as well?

well the filter must have some in or your reading would show ammonia or nitrite at least, you know not to wash your filter out with tap water, just use the tank water when your doing a water change, give it a sqeeze..as Snazy say's keep doing a test....

The first time I set up the filter i rinsed the pad in tap, but that was like 8 days ago, plus the prime got rid of any chlorine in there since. So that shouldn't be a problem right?

 

[mossonthemoon]

The first time I set up the filter i rinsed the pad in tap, but that was like 8 days ago, plus the prime got rid of any chlorine in there since. So that shouldn't be a problem right?

If you wash the filter under untreated tap water, it will kill the bacteria colony and set the cycle back. You should only clean it in treated water, perhaps the water you take out during the water change.

 

[mgx42]

The first time I set up the filter i rinsed the pad in tap, but that was like 8 days ago, plus the prime got rid of any chlorine in there since. So that shouldn't be a problem right?

If you wash the filter under untreated tap water, it will kill the bacteria colony and set the cycle back. You should only clean it in treated water, perhaps the water you take out during the water change.

I understand, but rinsing it in tap upon first installation shouldn't have an effect on the bacteria at this stage of the game right?

 

[snazy]

As far as I can see,you must have built up enough friendly bacteria to cope with what you have, your readings are perfect, your temp is in my opinion too high,I cycled my tank in 2 weeks with bacteria from my lfs and it's been fine,what have you got in your filter?? It always take time for a filter to make it crystal clear.......

Thanks for the reply. I just have the standard cartridge that came with the aqueon filter. So from what you are saying, I have the "ammonia eating" bacteria already in there? If that were the case wouldn't I be seeing Nitrite readings? Or do you think since the tap water had nitrite in it too that the "nitrite eating" bacteria started to form as well?

well the filter must have some in or your reading would show ammonia or nitrite at least, you know not to wash your filter out with tap water, just use the tank water when your doing a water change, give it a sqeeze..as Snazy say's keep doing a test....

The first time I set up the filter i rinsed the pad in tap, but that was like 8 days ago, plus the prime got rid of any chlorine in there since. So that shouldn't be a problem right?

Nope, it shouldn't be a problem if you mean washing the pads before you started the cycle. I always wash mine on a new filter before I set it up. The dechlorinator has long taken care of any chlorines or chloramines. Don't wash the filter pads anymore in tap water though, as the bacteria that is growing won't like it.

 

[mossonthemoon]

Sorry, I should learn to read better when I am tired! As said above, the first wash is fine in tap water!

 

[mgx42]

Sorry, I should learn to read better when I am tired! As said above, the first wash is fine in tap water!

No problem!