Tank Will Not Cycle

[Cris_L]

Hello guys, this is my first post on here!

I've had my 126 litre tank set up for around 6 weeks now and it just will not begin the cycling process.

I was sold some bactinettes by the guy in the shop and told that I'd be able to add fish straight away. So i had 6 glowlight tetra and a green speckled eel and a week later we added 2 angels and 2 dwarf frogs.
Since then I've bought a test kit and the ammonia and nitrate and nitrite levels are still very high.

I've been doing 10-20% water changes daily (with dechlorinated water). have added now a third dose of bactinettes and done a 50% water change. still the levels are high and I'm worried soon we'll be losing fish.

I'm only feeding a few flakes and tiny bit of bloodworm for the eel and frogs.

Is there anything i can do to get the tank cycling and what should i be doing to protect the fish

thanks in advance!

 

[scorphonic]

Return the fish to the fish store, and do a fishless cycle where you synthetically add in the ammonia. At least that way the fish wont be suffering because of the high levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

Strange thing is...you shouldn't have a high level of nitrate without seeing a reduction in the ammonia and nitrite.

Have a look through the helpful threads on fishless cycling...its a quicker way to cycle a tank and is alot better as you dont have to do water changes all the time....you just test the water conditions and add ammonia!!

 

[Cris_L]

Return the fish to the fish store, and do a fishless cycle where you synthetically add in the ammonia. At least that way the fish wont be suffering because of the high levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate.

Strange thing is...you shouldn't have a high level of nitrate without seeing a reduction in the ammonia and nitrite.

Have a look through the helpful threads on fishless cycling...its a quicker way to cycle a tank and is alot better as you dont have to do water changes all the time....you just test the water conditions and add ammonia!!

Thanks, I'll have to look into that but am not sure its practical due to the location of the store. will the tank never cycle with this many fish in it?

I'd never even heard of fishless cycling till i came across this site. then it was too late!

 

[Bullrock74]

What kind of filter are you using? Is it working properly? Have you been testing the water parameters daily? What kind of test kit do you have?

Six weeks is an awful long time. I've read that if the Ph of the water is acidic enough, the colony of beneficial bacteria will stop reproducing. What are your Ph, ammonia, nitrite levels?

 

[Cris_L]

The PH is around 7.5-7.8

I'm not sure what the levels actually are (will do another test tonight and make a record) but the chap at the lfs said they are dangerously high yesterday (hence the 50% change).

its a fluval 3+ filter, came with the tank. it seems to be working fine. The test kit I've been using is nutarfin (sp) mini master

 

[.Relinquished]

I've read that if the Ph of the water is acidic enough, the colony of beneficial bacteria will stop reproducing.

Just curious, what level of water is too acidic?

 

[Bullrock74]

I've read that if the Ph of the water is acidic enough, the colony of beneficial bacteria will stop reproducing.

Just curious, what level of water is too acidic?

I'm not certain that it is true, but I've read that a Ph below 6 can stall a cycling aquarium.

 

[.Relinquished]

I'm at like 8.5, A high pH won't cause problems will it?

 

[Danno]

8.5 is like th pH of a marine tank. Marine tanks can still cycle.

 

[rdd1952]

I've read that if the Ph of the water is acidic enough, the colony of beneficial bacteria will stop reproducing.

Just curious, what level of water is too acidic?

I'm not certain that it is true, but I've read that a Ph below 6 can stall a cycling aquarium.

As to what level is too acidic, it depends on the fish. True altum angels prefer a pH in the mid 5s which most cichlids are better from the mid 7s to 8+. Most fish can easily adapt to any pH as long as it is stable. They struggle when the pH constanly fluctuates due to the use of pH adjusters.

The reason cycling stalls at low ph levels is that bacteria reproduction slows. The optimum pH for a cycling tank is between 7.2 and 8.3. As the pH drops, reproduction slows until it finally stops somewhere below 6.0. Here is a very good article that explains the corelation between temperature, pH and bacteria growth.

I'm at like 8.5, A high pH won't cause problems will it?

The higher the pH, the more toxic ammonia becomes. If your pH is 6.2 and you have an ammonia reading of 1 ppm, it isn't rterribly serious but the same 1 ppm reading in 8.5 pH water is terribly toxic.

 

[MoonstruckMuse]

That's rather odd...
Does the filter has activated carbon in it?
Do you know any fish owners that may be able to lend you mature media to put in your filter or anything?

I've always thought neon tetras (and glowlights, with them) were the first to die off when water conditions went wacky. That's what really baffles me in this situation...

 

[Amunet]

I've read that if the Ph of the water is acidic enough, the colony of beneficial bacteria will stop reproducing.

Just curious, what level of water is too acidic?

I'm not certain that it is true, but I've read that a Ph below 6 can stall a cycling aquarium.

As to what level is too acidic, it depends on the fish. True altum angels prefer a pH in the mid 5s which most cichlids are better from the mid 7s to 8+. Most fish can easily adapt to any pH as long as it is stable. They struggle when the pH constanly fluctuates due to the use of pH adjusters.

The reason cycling stalls at low ph levels is that bacteria reproduction slows. The optimum pH for a cycling tank is between 7.2 and 8.3. As the pH drops, reproduction slows until it finally stops somewhere below 6.0. Here is a very good article that explains the corelation between temperature, pH and bacteria growth.

I'm at like 8.5, A high pH won't cause problems will it?

The higher the pH, the more toxic ammonia becomes. If your pH is 6.2 and you have an ammonia reading of 1 ppm, it isn't rterribly serious but the same 1 ppm reading in 8.5 pH water is terribly toxic.

Wow.. that was a totally useful and informative post! Awesome... never knew that low ph could cause your bacteria to slow. And definitely didn't know that about different phs making ammonia more or less toxic!

 

[Cris_L]

Well finally the ammonia reading is 0. although the nitrite reading is still fairly high. How long does it normally take from the ammonia reading 0 to the nitrite dropping??

 

[Underwurlde]

I'd consider a tank to be cycled in under 6 weeks very fast really....

I think your tank IS going through the cycling process. If it were not then you would NOT see any levels of Nitrite or Nitrate.

You are seeing these elements so therefore you must have both types of bacteria in your filters.

Note: the bacteria that munch Nitrite into Nitrate take longer to 'grow' than the Ammonia munching crew.

If you want to speed this process up a bit more, increase the heat.

Your levels are high because there is either:
a.) Not enough bacteria yet to deal with your stocking level
b.) You are over-stocked for the size of your filter (which I doubt)

Keep up the monitoring / water changes. Another couple of weeks should see Ammonia & Nitrite levels come down.

Andy

 

[ncjharris]

If you want to speed this process up a bit more, increase the heat.

Does this help? not heard that before.