No Ammonia Drop Sand Substrate

[Curious_George]

Hi All
 
I'm attempting to fish-less cycle my new tank, and unfortunately i'm starting to lose my patience
 
 
Everything is brand new
 
30 gallon tank
Heater set to 80F
External fluval 206 filter
Filter set up media- sponges, cereamic and biohome
Sand substrate
A few bits of bogwood
Dosed with API stress coat (double dosed just to be sure)
Used pure ammonia dosed to 4 ppm
PH 7.4
 
 
I have no ammonia drop , and i'm on day 17
 
 
The only thing i can think is the sand substrate, perhaps this doesn't allow bacteria develop quite as well as traditional gravel? - i have to wait a little longer, the filter being really the only place a bacteria colony can develop... 
Does this sound like a plausible theory?
 
Or can anybody think of another reason?
 
I have decided i'm going to wait until a month if the ammonia doesn't drop by then, reluctantly go the traditional "fish in" cycle route. Slowly building up the fish stock, - the tank will be moderately planted, hopefully this will help if i have to resort to "fish in"
 
Any thoughts appreciated

 

[TallTree01]

Did you dechlorinate the water?
I'm not entirely sure but stress coat I don't think dechlors the water.
Pretty much Nothing can grow in chlorinated waters.

 

[Curious_George]

I'm sure Stress Coat is a dechlorinater
 
http/www.apifishcare.co.uk/product.php?p=faqs&id=118

 

[fluttermoth]

It won't be anything to do with the sand.
 
What would help you most is some already mature media to put in your filter to 'seed' it.
 
Where in the UK are you? We might have a member who could donate you some, or someone could send you some (a few bacteria can survive going through the post; I've sent quite a lot of media that way!). You could ask at your LFS as well.

 

[Curious_George]

It won't be anything to do with the sand.
 
What would help you most is some already mature media to put in your filter to 'seed' it.
 
Where in the UK are you? We might have a member who could donate you some, or someone could send you some (a few bacteria can survive going through the post; I've sent quite a lot of media that way!). You could ask at your LFS as well.

Thanks for you reply, i'm based in Somerset.
 
Unfortunately my LFS, advised my to put in some API Stress Zyme, let the filter run for a week, then start adding fish
 
It would be great if somebody could donate some established media.

 

[blw0489]

I am doing the same thing!! I was able to get my ammonia to zero in two weeks. They key is seeding your filter like others said above. Find a friend or trustworthy aquarium store (not the LFS due to DZ, there are so many dead fish in those tanks) and have them give you some of their substrate or a squeeze from their filter bag if they have one. This will work, it will jumpstart your cycle, and don't stress because there are no fish in there! My friends think Im crazy with my empty tank but we get it! goodluck. 

 

[Ninjouzata]

I have cycled tanks with sand substrate and they were fine, so that's not the cause. If you're starting from scratch it can take a while for the ammonia to drop.
For my first cycle using no mature media it took 21 days for it to start dropping. Stay patient

 

[Curious_George]

Thanks for all the replies.
 
It's reassuring to know its just a matter of time.
 
The aquarium is one I have to set up for my work's Office waiting room, i'm constantly being asked why there is no fish in the aquarium which isn't helping with my patience lol