Fishless Cycle Stalled?

[Nu2Discus]

I'm doing a fishless cycle. The last time I cycled a tank was about 20 years ago, and I did a fish in cycle in saltwater. So this is my first time doing a fishless cycle.

I started the cycle on Aug 25, so today makes 13 days into the cycle. I added ammonia using Ace Hardware's Ammonia 10%. I added 5 mls and that gave me a reading of ammonia 2 PPM. I then added 5 mls more, and it wound up at 4PPM. I thought that was close enough to 5 so I stopped there. The water started to become cloudy about a day or two later, and has been cloudy ever since. In fact it may even be getting more cloudy as the days go on. It's though to tell though. The tank is 4ft long, and you can barely see to the other end.

My readings have pretty much been the same since I started. Ph is hovering around 8.2-8.4. Ammonia started off at 4 PPm, and it's pretty much still there. The green in the test tube using API's test kit might be a touch lighter now, but it's hard to tell. If its a bit lighter, it's not much. The nitrites are zero, the nitrates are zero my temp has been 85F and my TDS has been in the high 470's.

Are these normal values for day 13, or should I have seen something happening by now? Has the tank stalled?

Tanks in advance for your help.

[DonMD]

I recently did a fishless cycle in a 75 gallon tank. I used Ace ammonia also, just put in a capful, and got a reading of 2ppm. But I also put in the bioballs I discovered from a vendor on this forum. He sells both Pond and Aquarium bioballs. I threw in a handfull. I did get some clouding, but I don't think as much as you. I let it go for about 2 weeks, then did a 75% w/c, and added half a capful of ammonia. One week later I had zero ammonia and zero nitrite. Added a half capful again, and got about 2ppm ammonia. Next day got a reading of zero, but some nitrite. Second day, zero on both accounts. Fully cycled.

If you've got cloudy water I'd do a w/c, then reintroduce more ammonia, but try to keep it at 2ppm, that's really all you need. It'll cycle. Sometimes it takes longer than others. Good luck.

[nc0gnet0]

If you've got cloudy water I'd do a w/c, then reintroduce more ammonia, but try to keep it at 2ppm, that's really all you need. It'll cycle. Sometimes it takes longer than others. Good luck.

+1

2-3 ppm is all I ever shoot for

[Nu2Discus]

Thanks for the responses, I pulled off maybe 60% of the water or so. I'm now refilling the tank. Hopefully this will jump start things a bit.

Thanks for the help.

[nc0gnet0]

Get some pure aquaria pond or aquarium balls, be done in a few days.

[Nu2Discus]

Ok an update to my fishless cycle. I'm still cycling, it's day 24.

After I did the partial water change, I added more ammonia, and it came up to about 2-3 ppm. About 4 days later, on day 19 of the cycle, the ammonia dropped to 1 ppm. At that point I added more ammonia and it came back up to about 3ppm. It slowly dropped to 1-2 over 2 days, and has now been at 1-2 ppm for about 3 days.

I just checked my parameters and here's where I am. Ph=8.3, ammonia=1-2ppm, nitrite =0, nitrate=0, TDS=478, temp=86F. The tank has slowly gotten very cloudy again. Right after the water change it did clear up to some extent, but it was never totally clear. But as I added ammonia it got progressively cloudier as the days have been going on. I'll try to post some pics to give you an idea of the cloudiness.

Am I doing something wrong, or does this seem like I'm on the right track? I'm starting to get a little discouraged here. I was trying to avoid using any bottled bacteria, but today I went and bought some tetra safe start at the LFS. Do you think I should add it, or just keep on without it? Also should I do a partial or total water change? Thanks for your help.[IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG][IMG][/IMG]

[strawberryblonde]

Fishless cycles can take forever sometimes. Usually it's due to a low pH, but you say that yours is high, so I'm stumped.

You've got some other choices that could work for you.

First up is adding a good bacteria starter. I personally can vouch for both Dr. Tim's One and Only and Pure Aquarium Balls. They both work, though you'll have to continue adding a tsp. of Ammonia to the tank every few days to keep feeding the bacteria once you've added either of the products.

The second choice is to purchase seeded sponge filters when you purchase your discus. I know that a couple of the sponsors here are willing to send you seeded filters from the discus tanks if you purchase fish from them. You get the filters AND the fish at the same time, plop them both into the tank and you're good to go. I've used the seeded filter option and it works great.

[blueluv]

Fishless cycles can take forever sometimes. Usually it's due to a low pH, but you say that yours is high, so I'm stumped.

You've got some other choices that could work for you.

First up is adding a good bacteria starter. I personally can vouch for both Dr. Tim's One and Only and Pure Aquarium Balls. They both work, though you'll have to continue adding a tsp. of Ammonia to the tank every few days to keep feeding the bacteria once you've added either of the products.

The second choice is to purchase seeded sponge filters when you purchase your discus. I know that a couple of the sponsors here are willing to send you seeded filters from the discus tanks if you purchase fish from them. You get the filters AND the fish at the same time, plop them both into the tank and you're good to go. I've used the seeded filter option and it works great.

+1 on buying seeded sponges from a sponsor. I'll be purchasing discus from Kenny's October shipment and he told me that he would sell me seeded sponges. Just as an added measure, to cycle my AC70 and other sponge , I'll be purchasing some pure bacteria balls from Bill at inland empire discus.

[Frankr409]

I have used bacteria starter with great results, and even asked LFS for a bit of gravel from a tank. From those pictures that you have posted there is no doubt at all in my mind that the reaction is happening. It could take several weeks to begin showing even a nitrite count though, so I think it is going to happen. I allow 30 days for everything.

[Gorf]

Hi

I still have my fishless cycle log, like you, I also avoided bacteria in a bottle products & went for the real deal.

Here is my log entry for day 14: Ammonia 2ppm, Nitrite trace, Nitrate 0ppm, pH 7.4, temp 26.5°C, GH 3°, KH 3°, Oxygen 12ppm.

Initial Ammonia seed should be 4ppm & allow that to fall to under 0.5ppm before then boosting regularly back to 2ppm.

What you are seeing is a bacterial bloom. Please could you check your GH & KH levels?

[Nu2Discus]

Hi there Gorf. To be honest, I don't think I tested the GH/KH since I started the cycle. I will test and get back with the results. However I did test my tap water for GH/KH a while ago, and here's what I was getting using the API test kit.

GH= 11 drops=11 dkh = 196 ppm
KH = 9 drops = 161 ppm

[Nu2Discus]

Ok just ran the tests.

KH =10 drops= 10 dkh= 179 ppm
GH = 16 drops = off the scale

[Gorf]

That's pretty hard water you have there! I had just wanted to check that your KH hadn't dropped to zero or something.

I've fishless cycled with Ammonia 4 tanks & apart from the hardness & bloom, you're doing ok. On day 21 I'll take a beer bet that you'll see some good movement!

Don't use "safe-start". Keep going as you are & grit your teeth. It will get good next week.

[Nu2Discus]

Yes it is hard water. I was thinking about getting a RO/DI system but was told it wasn't totally needed, and I also didn't want to to deal with all that waste water either.

I'm already past day 21, actually today will be day 28, I started this cycle 4 Sundays ago. That's why I'm concerned that I haven seen any movement in a month already.

[Second Hand Pat]

Hi Nu2Dicus, a bit late reading this, on your post September 19 where you show pictures of your tank. Are you running air through your sponge filters? Hard to tell from the pictures. If you are not running air this would explain why you are not seeing progress with your cycle.
Pat