What Is Going On?

[Debbie_19]

I have been cycling my tank for about 13 days now (with a little mature filter media from another one of my tanks) Everything was going great for the first few days, the tank was processing about 2-3ppm a day so seemed to be going fine. I added more ammonia on Tuesday night to raise the level back up to 4-5ppm as it has dropped to about 1-2ppm and for some reason the tank has just stopped processing the ammonia. I have tested everyday since Tuesday and the ammonia level hasn't changed much, only a very very slight colour change in the test results (using a API master test kit). I have not seen any nitrite yet but thought this might be due to putting the mature filter media in. Also when i tested the PH which i done for the first time on Wednesday it was about 7.6 - 7.8 where my tap water is only about 6.8 is this normal for the ph to raise?

I am just so confused, don't know what is going on at all. I am due to have fish delivered next Thursdau (5 female bettas) as at the weekend the tank looked like it was nearly finished cycling so thought everything would be fine for next Thursday but if it keeps this up it won't be.

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[rowdyburns21]

If you are using mature filter media why are you adding ammonia? I was under the impression that a mature filter media would already have the necessary bacteria to break down ammonia and nitrite??? just a thought

Sorry just read the thread properly a little bit of media sorry

I,ve cycled many tanks using the fishless method and I have had similar problems with the ammonia level not going down nothing but patience is the answer here and I would probably take them betas off order if possible.

Hope that helps a bit

 

[rowdyburns21]

Sorry forgot to mention your PH will go up while cycling because of the ammonia theres no point testing it till your near the end of the cycle

 

[Gremily]

Hmm that is unusual that the pH has actually raised, I find the fishless cycling actually causes quite drop in pH which can result in a stall. It would probably be a good idea to try and cancel the order untill you sort out the cycle. Maybe wait a few more days to see if it drops again, or could try doing a water change and see if it helps.

 

[Debbie_19]

Sorry forgot to mention your PH will go up while cycling because of the ammonia theres no point testing it till your near the end of the cycle

Ok thanks. I was orginally just adding the ammonia to feed the bacteria, as i have no fish in at the moment. Thats good about the PH thought, i was wondering why it had risen so much. I will try and take the bettas off order if not i will just have to keep doing plenty of water changes until it stablises.

 

[Gremily]

Sorry forgot to mention your PH will go up while cycling because of the ammonia theres no point testing it till your near the end of the cycle

Ok thanks. I was orginally just adding the ammonia to feed the bacteria, as i have no fish in at the moment. Thats good about the PH thought, i was wondering why it had risen so much. I will try and take the bettas off order if not i will just have to keep doing plenty of water changes until it stablises.

I don't know that much about fishless cycling but in the 2 tanks I've cycled and the one I am currently cycling, the pH has significantly lowered.
This is also mentioned in the fishless cycling thread here: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861

 

[Debbie_19]

Sorry forgot to mention your PH will go up while cycling because of the ammonia theres no point testing it till your near the end of the cycle

Ok thanks. I was orginally just adding the ammonia to feed the bacteria, as i have no fish in at the moment. Thats good about the PH thought, i was wondering why it had risen so much. I will try and take the bettas off order if not i will just have to keep doing plenty of water changes until it stablises.

I don't know that much about fishless cycling but in the 2 tanks I've cycled and the one I am currently cycling, the pH has significantly lowered.
This is also mentioned in the fishless cycling thread here: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861

Oh well i am not really sure what is happening then. All seems rather strange. First my ammonia is going down but i have never seen any nitrite which seems very strange since the ammonia was going down quite quickly, i have also never seem a significant rise in nitrate either. Now it seems to have stopped the ammonia going down and the ph has risen.

I just don't know what to do. It has been like this for about 5 days now. I dont know whether to just try and start again.

 

[Gremily]

Weird, it's not that surprsing that you might not see nitrites if you used some mature media, but do nitrates look higher than in your tap water?

The cycles I mentioned with the low pH didn't have much drop in ammonia for a few days but were doing fine before, but eventually the nitrite dropped and things were fine after I did a big water change.
The fishless cycling thread says the best range is 7-8, so perhaps if your tank is getting close to 8 the bacteria have gone dormant? I think a 50% water change willl lower the pH again and ammonia might start being processed again.

I can't see any harm in a water change so it might be worth a try, good luck!

 

[Debbie_19]

Weird, it's not that surprsing that you might not see nitrites if you used some mature media, but do nitrates look higher than in your tap water?

The cycles I mentioned with the low pH didn't have much drop in ammonia for a few days but were doing fine before, but eventually the nitrite dropped and things were fine after I did a big water change.
The fishless cycling thread says the best range is 7-8, so perhaps if your tank is getting close to 8 the bacteria have gone dormant? I think a 50% water change willl lower the pH again and ammonia might start being processed again.

I can't see any harm in a water change so it might be worth a try, good luck!
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Thanks for your help. I will test tonight again and if nothing has happened since yesterday i will do another water change and see if that kick starts things again.

 

[Gremily]

Thanks for your help. I will test tonight again and if nothing has happened since yesterday i will do another water change and see if that kick starts things again.

Ok, I hope it works out for you, my tank is in the slow ammonia phase at the moment, hopefully tomorrow or the next day the nitirites will be down. I added some crushed coral to try and raise the pH, you might be able to add something like bogwood to lower yours?
Let me know how it goes, I hope it's alright in the end!

 

[rowdyburns21]

Sorry forgot to mention your PH will go up while cycling because of the ammonia theres no point testing it till your near the end of the cycle

Ok thanks. I was orginally just adding the ammonia to feed the bacteria, as i have no fish in at the moment. Thats good about the PH thought, i was wondering why it had risen so much. I will try and take the bettas off order if not i will just have to keep doing plenty of water changes until it stablises.

I don't know that much about fishless cycling but in the 2 tanks I've cycled and the one I am currently cycling, the pH has significantly lowered.
This is also mentioned in the fishless cycling thread here: http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=113861

Test daily to see what the ammonia reading is. There is no use to test for anything else. Nitrite and nitrate won't be present until some ammonia has processed. Ammonia will raise your pH so no use to test it either. Once you see a drop in the ammonia, test for nitrite. There should be some present. When the ammonia drops back to about near zero (usually takes about a week), add enough to raise it back to about 3 to 4 ppm and begin testing the nitrite daily.

Quote from fishless cycling thread!! Ive always found my PH went up!! especially in the ammonia stage
Gremily- Aint it weird that yours goes down!!! strange!!!

 

[Gremily]

Apologies, you're right it does say that. I was just reading the bottom section about the effects of low pH and presumed it was a side effect of adding ammonia. I really don't get why it drops so much for me, the tanks have been empty apart from gravel/sand so I'm puzzled as to why it gets so low.
Confusing! Does anyone know any reasons why this might happen?

 

[rowdyburns21]

Im stumped mate!!!