Tank Refuses To Start Cycling

pauly

Fishaholic
Joined
Feb 2, 2006
Messages
409
Reaction score
0
Location
Birmingham, England
I added amonnia last Thursday to 2ppm. I chose 2ppm instead of 8ppm because I'm only adding one fish to begin with.

Day 11 now and it's not even budged from 2ppm despite cranking it up to 30deg, a seeded sponge, a bottle of filter start, and extra aeration via an air stone.

The Ph has lowered to about 6.4 and I'm planning on adding some crushed coral to the filter when I get chance.

My questions:
  1. Should it be taking this long to start?
  2. It starting it on 2ppm of Ammonia ok, or is there a specific reason it needs to be 8ppm for it to start?
  3. Is the Ph low enough to prevent the cycle from starting?
  4. Could there be a fault with the filter? (it appears to be working fine)
  5. Did I buy the wrong sand? (standard B&Q stuff)
  6. What's the meaning of life?
:crazy: :S :sad:

Paul.
 
1. Probably Not
2. Yea thats fine
3. Anything below 6 will severly delay the bacteria, still, i would expect to have seen some results by now.
4. Doubt it
5. Nah that wont do it
6. To glorify God
Or..42. lol

Anyway, thats pretty annoying for ya. Im Surprised it hasnt started. What test kit are you using and what ammonia did you put in?
 
30 degrees is still a little low. You really need it in the 31 to 34 range.

The general consensus is that the initial bacteria are in the water when you first fill the tank. If you wait too long after filling the tank. How long after you filled the tank did you add ammonia and did you remember to use dechlorinator? My suggest at this point would be a large water change, 50 to 75 percent.
 
My tank seems to only be able to heat up around 29.

I have to throw blankets over it and float bottle of boiling water in it to heat it, but doesnt work much.
 
I can crank the temp up a little more.

I'm using API liquid tests.

I added Boots Household Ammonia (9.5% solution) and seeded filter media the day after filling the tank with water (although the water was still cold). As it took around 18 buckets to fill it, I forgot to dechlorinate a couple of them, but I added extra dechlorinator in once it was full to compensate.

Paul.
 
pauly, i'd really recommend rehoming the fish you have in there, i doub't he'll be too fond of you raising the temp any higher!!
 
pauly, i'd really recommend rehoming the fish you have in there, i doub't he'll be too fond of you raising the temp any higher!!

I don't have a fish in there at the moment mate, he's in my current mature tank waiting to move into his big new house.
 
Day 12 Update

Day 12 and still no sign of the ammonia shifting so I've taken rdd's advice and carried out a 70% water change, being a bit more careful with the dechlorinator dosage (does this take me back to square one?).

Readings before water change: Ph 6.4 Ammonia 2ppm
Readings immediately after: Ph 7.8 Ammonia 1ppm

I'll take readings again in the morning after its had time to settle down. I'm also going to get some crushed coral tomorrow evening to try to keep my Ph levels up.

Should I bring the ammonia up to a 6ppm level or see what happens with the bit that's still in there first?

Paul.
 
Sorry your having problems mate, hang in there! I have put crushed coral in my filter to buffer the ph, it has done nothing! I think you need quite a bit of the stuff for it to make a differnce. You could try adding some limestone rock, that may do it! GRJ :rolleyes:
 
Well pretty much everything I've been told to do so far has done nothing!

I'm giving it another week to start, if still nothing then the ammonia's coming out and fish are going in with clean water to cycle it for me.

:sad:

Paul.
 
Its awfull, the waiting isnt it! I think some tanks just seem to take ages to kick in! I will keep my fingers crossed for you mate! GRJ :good:
 
Cheers mate :good:

Has anybody has any luck with the so-called instant cycling stuff? I can't remember the name of it, but I'm willing to try anything now.

Paul.
 
I have used Stress Zyme, crap! Didnt do a thing to my tank. I have just used some tetra bactozym capsules on my new tank and with the help of mature media it was cycled very quickly, i have 7 electric yellow labs that were put in after a week of it being set up and they are fine. I got a little ammonia and nitrite spike but that settled within 2 days. I havent put any more capsules in after this and have just added, today infact, a Striped Raphael Catfish. Its gotta be worth a try mate! You just bung the capsules into your filter, the tank goes a bit cloudy for 48 hours and it was done. I did manage to get some mature media though. If you can get a product called Bactinettes, that supposed to be brill, i think Maidenhead Aquatics do it in Telford(your from Birmingham aren't you? i am from Cannock!) Its pretty hard to get hold of. Its in the fridge so it keeps fresh! Hope that helped! GRJ :good:
 
I have used Stress Zyme, crap! Didnt do a thing to my tank. I have just used some tetra bactozym capsules on my new tank and with the help of mature media it was cycled very quickly, i have 7 electric yellow labs that were put in after a week of it being set up and they are fine. I got a little ammonia and nitrite spike but that settled within 2 days. I havent put any more capsules in after this and have just added, today infact, a Striped Raphael Catfish. Its gotta be worth a try mate! You just bung the capsules into your filter, the tank goes a bit cloudy for 48 hours and it was done. I did manage to get some mature media though. If you can get a product called Bactinettes, that supposed to be brill, i think Maidenhead Aquatics do it in Telford(your from Birmingham aren't you? i am from Cannock!) Its pretty hard to get hold of. Its in the fridge so it keeps fresh! Hope that helped! GRJ :good:

All those products are really hit and miss, its like playing the lottery with even worse odds than normal.

Mature filter media is the ticket though. :good: If you can get some from someone it will kick your cycle for sure. Just make sure you treat it like a fish when you bring it home. Put it in tank water and bag it with air. The bacteria need food and oxygen. Once you have it bagged you only really have a couple hours max to get it into your filter or the bacteria may all die off.
 
I've used mature filter media from my existing tank already, and that hasn't worked :sad: . I'll try and get some Bactinettes or bactozym capsules and give those a whirl. Yeah I'm from Birmingham, might pop up to Maidenhead Aquatics, there's one in Solihull I think.
 

Most reactions

Back
Top