My Tank Just Wont Cycle

[Dr. Bogger]

See.. this is why most of those products aren't recommended. They're just SO unreliable and a big waste of money.
The only thing I'd ever try again would be Bio-Spira, but even then I'd hesitate b/c it's expensive and you just never know if you're getting a good batch.

Anywho... to me it sounds like your tank just isn't cycled and the stuff didn't work.
I know you said it worked in your 10gal, but the cynic in me just doesn't believe that those products work. Hopefully it did though and when you put some of the 10gals media into the big tank it will help.

For now I would just keep doing water changes making sure ammonia didn't get over .25. Keep using the Turbo Start as well I guess. Doesn't hurt to keep trying.... specially since you already spent the money on it heh


And FYI... we have the same tank and stand! lol

Well Turbo Start is simular to Bio-Spira, except it uses Nitrobacter to convert the nitrite to nitrate, instead of nitrospiras which Bio-Spira used... I never used bio-spira because no one around me carries it, however turbo start a lfs about 30 minutes from me carries it... and that lfs is aquarium products only... its called "Eddies Aquarium Centre", and its in Lathum, NY.... their staff is very knolegeable, and most of them realy know what their talking about... however, as with all lfs, there is a few people in the buunch that dont know much., and they also deal in marine/saltwater fish too, which is cool.


Thats cool, i found another thread on this forum that has the same tank & stand i do also... cant remeber who it was though.

 

[smmetz]

I don't think any of those would interfere with the cycle.

Hey, I was just at that store a couple weeks ago! I happened to be in the Albany / Lathem area. This Friday I will be in Albany again, and am gonna hit "Davey Jones Locker". (trying to find amano shrimp and a couple other things)

 

[Dr. Bogger]

I don't think any of those would interfere with the cycle.

Hey, I was just at that store a couple weeks ago! I happened to be in the Albany / Lathem area. This Friday I will be in Albany again, and am gonna hit "Davey Jones Locker". (trying to find amano shrimp and a couple other things)

Hey, Thats Cool, Where abouts do you live anyways?

 

[smmetz]

I am 10 minutes from exit 18 on the NY thruway (New Paltz / Poughkeepsie exit), about an 80 minute drive from Albany.

 

[Dr. Bogger]

Okay, I have an update on my 28gal tank.. and its not good news.

My Ammonia is 1.5 so i did a water change and its now 1.0, Nitrites are 0, Nitrates are 5 (which is what my tap water nitrates is)... So to make a long story short, my tank is not cycling using turbo start...

Phosphates are above 5.0 (Because my tap water is above 5.0 also), Iron is 0, chelted iron is 0, KH is 13, ph is hard to tell... the color is kinda dull on my test for some reason, but it looks like its somewhere between 6.6-6.8, but its hard to tell (i use API Liquid Test Kits)

I dont have a GH, or copper, or any other test kits. Would anyone recomend me getting any aditional test kits? just to try and find out what the heck is going on?

Im just totaly baffeled why my 10g tank cycled in like 2-3 days, however, going on 7 days now, my 28 gal tank has not cycled...

I added over 6 ounces of turbo start within the past week, which is suppose to handle over 200 gallons of water... but with no luck... (however, you cant overdose, so it wont hurt anything if a add too much)

I dont understand what is happening here... im just totaly confused

i hope my tank will eventually cycle... if not idk what ill be able to do.

Does anyone at all have any ideas at all what could be happening?

I dont have any UV filters, i only have a small whisper 30 HOB Filter, and a 100 watt heater. My water temperture is 80F, so im totaly lost

My water does have a weird oder to it, but im not sure what it is.

 

[Dr. Bogger]

SWEEEEEEET!!!!!

I cant beleave my eyes... and this is sooo weird how it happend...

Finaly, Good News!

Okay, Last Night around 4PM or so, i did a HUGE 90% water change... just because i felt that the problem with cycling could be something to do with what my friend did when he was helping me setup my tank...

I gave him and me both a 1 Gallon Jug to keep filling up and pouring into the tank... well then the phone rings, so i pick it up, and wasent paying attention for about 5 minutes or so, well i found out after i hung up the phone, that he used my mop bucket to fill up the aquarium... i frickin went off on him about it, and i emptyed the aquarium as much as i could, but there was still some water in the gravel, so i asked him if he has rinsed out the bucket good before he used it, and he said yes, so i figured its a long shot, but i didnt wash the gravel again, due to me having to go someplace in about an hour, so i filled up the rest with the gallon jugs i chose, that only contained water in the first place...

So i decided to do a 90% water change, and my fish did freek out a bit, but the result was well worth it (probabley even to my fish).

Before the water change, my ammonia was 1.0, nitrates 5, pH 7.4 (due to trying to help cycle my tank), KH 13.
After the water change, my ammonia was almost 0, nitrites 0, and nitrates 5, pH was 7.5, KH was 6.

TONIGHT (24 hours after the water change), my ammonia is 0.50, NITRITES ARE 0.25!!!, Nitrates are maybe 6 or 7 (aprox.) PH is 7.5 (again, due to trying to boost bacteria cycling).

I was totaly amazed that my nitrites are 0.25... specialy only after 24 hours after water change. Im like freeking out that its finaly working lol...

Fritz is also sending me some more Normal Fritz-Zyme (Simular to Turbo Start, but less consentrated), so i should receive that on monday or tuesday, and i will wait untill i receive my new filter i ordered, before i put it in.

I ordered a AquaClear 50 Filter to eventualy replace my wisper 30 filter, as i hate wisper filters, and i heard really good reviews about the aqua clear filters... So ill be waiting for that before i dose my tank with the fritz-zyme fritz is sending me.

Ill be keeping a close eye on the water tests, and ill keep everyone updated.





Thanks to everyone, who was putting up with my complaining and bragging through all of this.