Fishless Cycle Stalled?

[Critter]

Okay, so back in the middle of September (pretty much right around the 15th), the nitrites finally showed up in my 20 gallon high tank while doing a fishless cycle.

Soon, the nitrites went way off the chart, and this lasted a good couple of weeks - during which time I continued to add a tad of ammonia to keep the levels just above 0 ppm.
Now, the nitrites seems to be "stuck" at around 2 ppm (it's somewhere between 2 and 5, it seems), the ammonia is at .25 ppm daily (even without me adding ammonia, as I held off adding ammonia for a day to see if I'm messing things up or something), and the nitrates are at about 5 ppm (almost 10 ppm, it appears, but perhaps I'm going color blind from checking and rechecking things).

Am I doing anything wrong?

Also, I did do about a 25% water change (with dechlorinated water) back in September (didn't record the date, sorry!), as I seemingly had added way too much ammonia (I guess it really wasn't diluted much, if at all), and so I sort of tried to "fix" my mistake.

Heh, it seems I'm doing more damage than fixing at the moment, though...

Perhaps I should just let it be? I just keep worrying I've messed something up, and so I keep "poking" at my tank...

 

[rdd1952]

Have you done any water changes other than the one in September? Something isn't right becase if the nitrites had spiked that high and then come down to 2 ppm, you should have extremely high nitrates, in the 80 to 100 range if not higher. Also, the ammonia should be at the point where it drops from 2 or 3 ppm in about 10 or 12 hours. Is there anything in the tank such as plants? I don't quite understand what has gone wrong but something definitely isn't right.

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, what are your nitrAte readings? Also, more importantly, how old and what type of test kit are you using? Is it liquid or strips? old or new?

 

[Critter]

Hum, I haven't done anmy water changes recently, so no. I did the water change at the end of September, as (like I said) since I had added so much ammonia (which was not going down much, if at all, while the nitrites were slowly going up).

I actually left on a three day trip after I did the water change, so no ammonia was added during that time (I didn't think to ask the person pet-sitting for me to mess with the tank - in fact, I doubt they were aware the tank was even there).

There are no live plants in the tank at this time (although I have been looking into getting some...plant choices locally are limited and most that are available aren't really "beginner" plants, it seems).

I also did not add any ammonia today and the reading still says it's at .25 ppm.

I'm certain now I messed something up...

 

[rdd1952]

It sounds like it truely has stalled. I sould raise the ammonia level back up to around 4 or 5 ppm and give it 2 or 3 days. It should come back down and the nitrite should start to rise again. It is true as SkiFletch eluded at, test kits can get old and lose their accuracy. Are you using luquid or strips?

One other thing, are you adding any chemicals other than the dechlorinator?

 

[Critter]

Whoops - I missed SkiFletch's reply (sorry!): my nitrates are currently about about 5 ppm (but it seems it may be leaning towards 10 ppm).

As for my test kit, it's a liquid test kit by Aquarium Pharmaceuticals...I bought it (new, of course) at a LFS right before I set up my tank (so, around the end of August). Any idea when and if liquid test kits expire or lose accuracy?

I'm using no other chemicals in my tank.

Also, my dechlorinator is TetraAqua AquaSafe. After re-reading the label, it mentions: "AquaSafe also neutralizes chloramine by breaking down the bond between chlorine and ammonia while reducing both the fish-toxic chlorine and ammonia* components."
Then: "*AquaSafe will not remove ammonia from an uncycled, overstocked, or under-filtered aquarium."

So, I thought when I got the dechlorinator that it was "safe", but maybe not?

Another thought just occured to me: is it possible to add too much dechlorinator?
I know I added a dose when I first set up the tank, then when I did the water change, I added another dose as directed (one teaspoon for every 10 gal).
However, was I supposed to add enough dechlorinator to just dechlorinate the new water I was adding, or was I supposed to add enough for the entire tank?
You see, when I did the water change (with my new Python No Spill Clean and Fill, which was certainly interesting to work with), I added enough dechlorinator for the entire tank (while filling the tank). I guess I just did not think about it at the time (directions said to add it, so I did...), as it was my first time doing a water change like that and so I suppose it is possible for me to have messed something up then...

I'll try adding more ammonia until I get it back up to 4 or 5 ppm, then and go from there, then....at least I know now that there is indeed something wrong so that I can try and correct it (properly this time!!)....

 

[rdd1952]

I don't think the dechlorinator is a problem. As long as it doesn' "remove" ammonia, it should be fine. Also, I doubt you can overdose. It's pretty safe stuff. I don't use that brand but i never measure it, just give it a squirt. Once you raise it back up, it should start to cycle again.

 

[SkiFletch]

Ok, try this: First, do a MAJOR water change of 50% or more. Next, measure your 4 main stats (ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, pH) and record their values. Make ABSOLOUTELY sure you use the test kit properly. Many liquid kits use chemicals that require that both the testing chemical and then the test tube after adding the chemical are shaken for specific time periods. Many also require you wait up to 5 minutes for a color change to occur. This shaking and waiting is imperatve to a proper test result. Dont cut corners .

Then, add enough ammonia to bring the level up to ~5ppm. Measure it to be sure and record that. Then, 24 hours later, re-test all 4 main stats in the same way you tested them before. If the ammonia is very low and not 0, add nothign and wait one more 24 hour period. Re-check and report back.

I know you've allready done this once before but it helps to make sure you do it in a very controlled fashion.

BTW, is 0.25ppm the lowest color on your scale other than 0? Also, try reading the ammonia level on your tap water and see what that says...

 

[Critter]

Okay, I decided to try the big water change first, and I noticed something that was interesting: my tank water foamed excessively when I changed it (as in fillin gup the bathroom sink with foam). Bad?

So, I checked the ammonia I'm using (HomeBest Clear Ammonia), and it only says it has: "Ammonium Hydroxide", however, after shaking the bottle, I discovered the ammonia foams as well.
I should have thought of that earlier...

I know this means it could have surfacant in it (after checking and rechecking things), which is bad, correct? Would that have anything to do with my tank trouble, or am I just really unlucky/clumsy?

I think perhaps I should just completely remove the water in the tank, rinse off some things a bit (not the filter and such, unless you guys think I should for any reason), and try again.
As frusterating and annoying as that would be, perhaps I would be better off redoing things and recording things more exactly this time...

I will be going to look around for different ammonia tomorrow, and will see if I can snag myself something from one of the fish stores around here to seed my tank with (provided their tanks are healthy, because with my luck I'll infect my tank with something!) this time.
Although, I was already told I should've just stuck some mollies or something in my tank before by the owner of one of the LFS (sure, I will....not....), so I'll try the other one tomorrow (they're new around here, so I didn't know there were even there when I first set up my tank)...

Also, I will make sure this time that I follow the test kit instructions exactly this time!

On a side note, the lowest color on my scale is .25 ppm (other than 0), and my tap reading is: 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and 0 nitrate (I have well water).

 

[SkiFletch]

yeah, if its foaming it probably has some sort of surfactant in it. That might be causing your problem, but I dont know. I'd try draining and re-filling with dechlorinator and starting over with a new type of ammonia. You might have some decent colonies still left so the process may not take that long provided you keep your filter wet.