Tank Refuses To Start Cycling

[**sarahp**]

I've used mature filter media from my existing tank already, and that hasn't worked .

Hiya

Thats really odd - that you've used mature media and the cycle is still messing about? How much ammonia did you add the first time after you put the mature filter in?? I wonder if you added too much and 'sterilised' the media?? **Dumb question alert** did you put the media in the filter or into the tank? Just gotta check!!!!

What else have you got in the tank - ornaments/plants etc?? I wonder if something in there is causing the problem cos your ph seems to be dropping quickly too - I'm confused about this!!

Oh BTW - bactinettes - I had reasonable success with this. Anything that is not kept in the fridge (ie the capsules yyour were on about) are not worth the money

 

[GRJ]

I've used mature filter media from my existing tank already, and that hasn't worked .

Hiya

Thats really odd - that you've used mature media and the cycle is still messing about? How much ammonia did you add the first time after you put the mature filter in?? I wonder if you added too much and 'sterilised' the media?? **Dumb question alert** did you put the media in the filter or into the tank? Just gotta check!!!!

What else have you got in the tank - ornaments/plants etc?? I wonder if something in there is causing the problem cos your ph seems to be dropping quickly too - I'm confused about this!!

Oh BTW - bactinettes - I had reasonable success with this. Anything that is not kept in the fridge (ie the capsules yyour were on about) are not worth the money

I know, i think the reason my tank cycled quickly was due to the mature media. I have always thought that it cant be any good as the bacteria cant survive in a bottle indefinatley. GRJ

 

[rdd1952]

Well pretty much everything I've been told to do so far has done nothing!Paul.

One day isn't enough for you to see an effect. The problem before was that apparently there were no bacteria at all in the tank With the water change, you should have introduced a very minute amount of bacteria through the water supply. It will take 2 or 3 days before you will see a change in the ammonia.

As for the mature media you used, what was it and how did you go about seeding the tank?

 

[pauly]

Ok here's what I did:

• I filled the tank up with cold dechlorinated water
• 24hrs later I added Ammonia to 2ppm, seeded my filter with half a mature Fluval One sponge (cut in half again and placed between new sponges) from my existing small tank, turned on my filter, heater and large airstone
• 12 days later it was all still the same, except the drop in Ph levels
• I then did a 70% water change which raised my Ph to 7.4 and reduced Ammonia to 1ppm
• Last night I added Bactozym capsules and some crushed coral to my filter
• This morning my Ammonia was reduced to 0.5ppm, but no Nitrite or Nitrates

Any blatant mistakes in there?

Paul.

 

[rowdyburns21]

Hiya mate,
I was reading a thread the other day and he/she was having the exact same problems with the stalling and the falling PH, it got me thinking (for once) and there was no apparent answer to their problem, but I can remember that they were using the same boots ammonia maybe they've altered it in some way? just a thought
Shirley aquatics has also got the bacinnetes in the fridge near the tropicals, just in case you lose patience mate i know its frustrating.

 

[pauly]

Thanks mate. I'll see how these capsules work, and if still no luck I'll try the bactinettes.

 

[rdd1952]

The bactozyme capsules almost assuredly will be useless. Nitrifying bacteria can not live in a dried state so unless the capsules have liquid in them, there is definitely no beneficial bacteria in them. Everything you did looks good other than you should have had the water temp up before adding the mature media. I don't think room temperature water would cause a problem though. What size tank did the sponge come from and what fish were in it?

 

[pauly]

The seeded media came from a Fluval Uno 500 (35 litres) which has a Red Tail Black Shark (3 inches long) and a few neons.

My new tank is a Juwel Vision 180 (180 litres).

The bactozyme capsules almost assuredly will be useless. Nitrifying bacteria can not live in a dried state so unless the capsules have liquid in them, there is definitely no beneficial bacteria in them.

So is this Bactinette stuff luquid, and is it any better than the capsules?

Also, how much coral should I be using? I plan on putting Mbunas in the tank when its ready, who I believe, prefer a Ph of 8.0 so I need to be keeping my Ph in the 7.5 - 8.5 range. At the moment I have put some into an old pair of tights about the size of tennis ball.

 

[GRJ]

I believe that yu will need a lot of coral gravel, i got one bag and put some in a stocking in my filter and it hasnt buffered the PH very much, around 7.8 but my first 7 yellow labs i put in are doing fine at that! I dont know what the bactinettes are, liquid or what. I have a spare peice of media in my community tank but i dont know how far away from me you are, i am in Cannock, just off the M6. You are more than welcome to that ifyou want to try seeding again and are able to collect. My community tank is fully stocked so should boost your filter no end! PM me if you like about it. GRJ

 

[pauly]

Cheers for the offer GRJ but I've got plans to raid my brother's tank if I decide to seed it again, which I will probably have to do.

 

[GRJ]

No problem, the offer stands if you get any more hassle! GRJ

 

[pauly]

Right, I got some new seeded media from my brother last night and put that in, as well as upping the Ammonia to 6ppm from 1ppm.

However, I have become completely dissillusioned by the whole fishless cycling lark, so I'm thinking of quitting.

I'm going to do a complete water change tonight, then tomorrow morning I'm going to add Bactinettes (I've only heard very good things about these), and then add some fish on Sunday.

I'll report back on how I get on.

Paul.

 

[Jonno]

don't quit just yet, give it a few more days now you have upped your ammonia concentration and added more media!

 

[rdd1952]

So is this Bactinette stuff luquid, and is it any better than the capsules?

Also, how much coral should I be using? I plan on putting Mbunas in the tank when its ready, who I believe, prefer a Ph of 8.0 so I need to be keeping my Ph in the 7.5 - 8.5 range. At the moment I have put some into an old pair of tights about the size of tennis ball.

Bactinettes ae liquid but the problem there is that they don't have the proper bacteria to oxidize nitrite so you only get hald the cycling effect. As for the coral, if you plan to keep Africans, you really need to change all the substrate to one of those specifically made for African cichlids. Just adding a little crushed coral wan't get your pH high enough.

I believe that yu will need a lot of coral gravel, i got one bag and put some in a stocking in my filter and it hasnt buffered the PH very much, around 7.8 but my first 7 yellow labs i put in are doing fine at that!

Actually, it depends on what you want your pH to do. In his case, asI mentioned, I think he needs all new substrate. In the case of a community tank that you just want to keep the pH in the mid 6s to 7, a teaspoonful to tablespoonful in the filter is generally plenty to buffer it up to that. The higher the pH alreay is and the higher you are trying to raise it too, the more you will need.

 

[pauly]

substrate specifically made for African cichlids

I didn't realise there was one, could you please elaborate?

Thanks,

Paul.