Still Cycling..after 35 Days

[tom_os]

im still getting high reading of ammonia but no nitrite after 35 days of fish in cycling

i have 4 danios, 4 corys, 2 phantom tetras in a 60l tank, with tetratec easy crystal filter.

any ideas, i do a water change everyday.

 

[Malt_Vinegar]

i have 4 danios, 4 corys, 2 phantom tetras in a 60l tank, with tetratec easy crystal filter.

How much water are you changing when you do the changes.

Also, 10 fish in a 60l is a lot for cycling!!

 

[tom_os]

ok, well i was told by the shop when i firt started it would be fine but now i realise not!

the water changes depend, yesterday i did roungly 60% but normally about 40%

 

[Malt_Vinegar]

ok, well i was told by the shop when i firt started it would be fine but now i realise not!

the water changes depend, yesterday i did roungly 60% but normally about 40%

If I remember correctly, in a situation like this the more water you replace the better, as you need to dilute that Ammonia content if you want you fish to be healthy. Are you properly de-chlorinating the water before you add it to the tank also? If not, the chlorine and metal content of untreated water will probably be killing off the bacteria that might be present!

Do you have any other tanks you mightbe able to transfer some of the fish to? Oh, and how much, how often, and what are you feeding them?

You will want to keep ammonia production as low as possible, certainly until you have the tank correctly cycled. The more you feed them, the more ammonia the tank will produce.

 

[tom_os]

yes i add dechlorinator

i have another tank which is full of water but the filter is in another tank cycling in there (other tank isnt mine)

i feed flakes and catfish pelets every other day and one a week a feed frozen blood worm.

do you think i should get the filter back and put say the corys in the other tank until my current tank is filtered?

 

[Malt_Vinegar]

yes i add dechlorinator

i have another tank which is full of water but the filter is in another tank cycling in there (other tank isnt mine)

i feed flakes and catfish pelets every other day and one a week a feed frozen blood worm.

do you think i should get the filter back and put say the corys in the other tank until my current tank is filtered?

I may be wrong here, but i would seriously cut down on the food going into the tank, you really want to reduce the ammonia being produced by the fish.

Hopefully someone a bit more knowledgeable will be along soon to offer some more advice.

 

[tom_os]

ok but surely you need ammonia present in order for the bacteria to feed off, but i know it is bad for fish and sholdnt be present

do you think i should put the corys in the other tank

 

[Malt_Vinegar]

ok but surely you need ammonia present in order for the bacteria to feed off, but i know it is bad for fish and sholdnt be present

Yup, you do need ammonia, but there is already a load in the tank, and by constantly feeding them you will be making a lot more work for yourself!

The fish will always be producing it, even when not being fed a lot.

 

[tom_os]

ok i will cut down feeding

do you think i should move the fish though?

 

[Malt_Vinegar]

Erm, only if you are sure the other tank is properly cycled and will be able to cope with the added fish.

I think you should maybe wait for someone with a bit more knowledge on this.

I tend to cycle my tanks using seeded filter media and established tank water and substrate, so my tanks tend to get up and running pretty quickly (not normally from scratch). I still cut down on feeding, and do water changes if required until I am happy the tank is stable.

 

[tom_os]

ok thanks, i am in the middle of a 60/70% water change, and i wont feed them tonight, thanks

 

[tom_os]

so did a 70% water change and re tested

ammonia 0
nitrite0
nitrate 5-10

so im still cycling i guess

 

[Malt_Vinegar]

so did a 70% water change and re tested

ammonia 0
nitrite0
nitrate 5-10

so im still cycling i guess

Those are the results you would expect to see in a cycled tank I think. (Water change is pobably causing the 0 ammonia reading)
Ammonia and Nitrite undetectable, and low levels of nitrate, which steadily rise, and are reduced at water changes.

See what the ammonia levels are like in a day or so, after low food intake.