5 weeks into cycle - No nitrites or nitrates

Hey all,

I began a fishless cycle 5 weeks ago in a 5 gallon tank for a new betta. I dosed it with 2 ppm of Dr. Tim's ammonia on the first day and added Seachem Stability for the first 7 days, per the instructions. After about 2 and half weeks, my ammonia had dropped to a little below 1 ppm, and I was still reading no nitrites. I added more ammonia to get it to around 3 ppm. I've continued to do water tests every 2-3 days planning to follow the guide on here, but I am still reading no nitrites. Ammonia has dropped some again to around 1.5 ppm. PH is 7.4 and temperature is around 80 degrees fahrenheit. No nitrates. I have had to top off the tank with around 3/4 a gallon a week (dosed with seachem prime) because of evaporation.

I'm kind of at a loss of how I still have no nitrites. I know cycles can take a while, but based on my research this seems like an excessive length of time to not even be through the first step of the process. Do you guys have any suggestions as to what's going on? Do I just need to keep waiting?

Current nitrite/ammonia levels:

I use Tetra Safe Start and not Seachem for addition of denitrifying bacteria. I put the entire small bottle in my 5 gallon tank. I was fully cycled in 2 weeks. Some people swear by Dr. Tim’s bacteria.

You have at least 0.25 nitrite atm from the picture.

it took about 6 weeks before i saw any Nitrates using Dr Tim's .... also my Ammonia dropped to 0ppm while the Nitrites were in .25-.5ppm range before I saw any Nitrates which was below 5ppm

looks like your just about there

good luck

gwand said:

I use Tetra Safe Start and not Seachem for addition of denitrifying bacteria. I put the entire small bottle in my 5 gallon tank. I was fully cycled in 2 weeks. Some people swear by Dr. Tim’s bacteria.

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Would it be OK to add some if I don't see any changes soon?

MaloK said:

You have at least 0.25 nitrite atm from the picture.

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I was thinking the same, but it's more of a light blue than purple when I put it under a light. I had been previously told that light blue meant it was still 0? It's been at that same color for weeks, so the nitrite has not increased yet to a substantial level.

algeaverse said:

it took about 6 weeks before i saw any Nitrates using Dr Tim's .... also my Ammonia dropped to 0ppm while the Nitrites were in .25-.5ppm range before I saw any Nitrates which was below 5ppm

looks like your just about there

good luck

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That gives me hope.

Oscar Betta said:

Would it be OK to add some if I don't see any changes soon?


I was thinking the same, but it's more of a light blue than purple when I put it under a light. I had been previously told that light blue meant it was still 0? It's been at that same color for weeks, so the nitrite has not increased yet to a substantial level.

That gives me hope.

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Yes. It’s safe to add Tetra Safe start.

Do you have plants in the tank at the moment ? It can influence the cycling process significantly.

Plants should have removed ammonia without making nitrite though, and the photo shows about 2 ppm ammonia still. If ammonia is not dropping, nitrite won't go up.

MaloK said:

Do you have plants in the tank at the moment ? It can influence the cycling process significantly.

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I do not have live plants. Just silk, fake ones and a ceramic log.

Oscar Betta said:

I do not have live plants. Just silk, fake ones and a ceramic log.

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If the tank new and is sterile if it has no plants or decaying matter.

You can add a little fish food and make sure you have good surface agitation.

You can also add a little plant fertilizer that contains Co2.

Keep the light off all the time for the moment.

MaloK said:

If the tank new and is sterile if it has no plants or decaying matter.

You can add a little fish food and make sure you have good surface agitation.

You can also add a little plant fertilizer that contains Co2.

Keep the light off all the time for the moment.

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Sounds good. Fish food would increase my ammonia some, correct?

Oscar Betta said:

Sounds good. Fish food would increase my ammonia some, correct?

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A little, But it should help to get some bacterial activity going.

Oscar Betta said:

I do not have live plants. Just silk, fake ones and a ceramic log.

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I suspect that Seachem Stability does not have the right nitrifying bacteria, or you need a second dose of Seachem Stability.

yzaylakeepsfish said:

I suspect that Seachem Stability does not have the right nitrifying bacteria

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Yes, Stability does not contain the right nitrite eaters. The use of the correct species is copyrighted and only Dr Tim's One & Only and Tetra Safe Start can use the correct species as those companies are copyright holders.

Essjay said:

Yes, Stability does not contain the right nitrite eaters. The use of the correct species is copyrighted and only Dr Tim's One & Only and Tetra Safe Start can use the correct species as those companies are copyright holders.

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It is frustrating, how can a company have copyrights on bacteria that occurs naturally in nature? I use Stability and it advertises it contains a mixture of aerobic, anaerobic and facultative bacteria which facilitate the breakdown of waste organics, ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate.