Tank won't cycle!!!

[moseley75]

I'm at the end of my patience with this tank.

I have a 10 gal that I wanted to use as a qt/hospital for fish but it just won't cycle. I've added Dr Tim's three times over the last two months and it stays at the exact same ammonia level. Zero nitrites and zero nitrates.
I raised this tank to ammonia level of 2 per all the suggestions for fishless cycle and nothing happened for three weeks. I did 50% water changes which dropped it to 0.8 ammonia and that is where it has stayed for the last month. This is a bare bottom tank w/ HOB filter. Filter has a sponge and some ceramic disks. I added some dry rubble to give the bacteria more places to grow. There are two plastic aquarium decorations in there too. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[siggy]

will be starting a discussion on cycling a tank, I used Bio spira and live bacteria from DRs Fosters & Smith to cycle 2 tanks. Grab a chunk of LIVE rock from LFS and put it in a filter sock if your worried about hitchhikers the sock may also host bacteria.

 

[Maacc]

Are you sure you added pure ammonia and not something with any added detergents? Did you get any foam with the ammonia added? If so, you probably want to take everything apart, rinse and reassemble. Maybe try throwing in a fresh shrimp from the store as a kick start.

 

[mcarroll]

+1 to all the above.

I'd also be suspect of your test kits.

 

[Brew12]

I'm at the end of my patience with this tank.

I have a 10 gal that I wanted to use as a qt/hospital for fish but it just won't cycle. I've added Dr Tim's three times over the last two months and it stays at the exact same ammonia level. Zero nitrites and zero nitrates.
I raised this tank to ammonia level of 2 per all the suggestions for fishless cycle and nothing happened for three weeks. I did 50% water changes which dropped it to 0.8 ammonia and that is where it has stayed for the last month. This is a bare bottom tank w/ HOB filter. Filter has a sponge and some ceramic disks. I added some dry rubble to give the bacteria more places to grow. There are two plastic aquarium decorations in there too. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

Are you using RODI with your salt mix?

 

[moseley75]

Yes I am it shows zero TDS and my salinity is 1.026 temperature 80 degrees.

 

[Brew12]

Yes I am it shows zero TDS and my salinity is 1.026 temperature 80 degrees.

My biggest concern would be chlorine/chloramine. You can have 0 TDS and still have it in your system acting as a disinfectant. I would try using a chlorine remover in your tank and see if that helps with the cycle.

 

[moseley75]

If there is chlorine in this tank it did not come from the Rodi water because I use the same water in my other two tanks and they are fine. I will check for chlorine tonight

 

[Brew12]

If there is chlorine in this tank it did not come from the Rodi water because I use the same water in my other two tanks and they are fine. I will check for chlorine tonight

It is still possible so I am glad you are open to checking. Low levels of chlorine won't have much impact on an established tank but can hinder the establishment of a new population. If your RODI unit is a little older it may no longer be removing the chloramine. It won't register on a TDS meter since it isn't ionic until it breaks down into hypochloride. Not sure what else would make sense other than a sterilizer since your tank should have cycled by now even without any bacteria products being added.

If you do detect chlorine you should be able to correct it long term by replacing your carbon filter regularly.

 

[moseley75]

I have no problem checking and double checking. However, It had better not be my filter. This RO/DI is only 2 months old. If it is BRS and I will be having a long conversation.

 

[jx.reef]

I've never used Dr Tim's before but the ammonium hydroxide I get at the hardware store worked for my fishless cycle. Maybe you could give that a shot? It's only about $2 for a bottle.

 

[Brew12]

I have no problem checking and double checking. However, It had better not be my filter. This RO/DI is only 2 months old. If it is BRS and I will be having a long conversation.

How many stages is your BRS RODI system? I'm lucky in that my local utility doesn't use chloramine so I can get away with a 4 stage unit. If your local water department adds a lot of chlorine or uses chloramine you would need a 5 or 6 stage system.

 

[moseley75]

My utility Dept said they don't use chlorimine so I got the 5 stage. I may add another di unit in the future. Just b/c it helps the resin last longer.

 

[moseley75]

I used this tank for 1 month to treat fish for ich. Then I let it dry completely and then soaked in RO/DI water for several days then I added the hob and salt and began the cycle so I can quarantine fish. No inverts gong in it at all.

 

[nervousmonkey]

Filter has a sponge and some ceramic disks. I added some dry rubble to give the bacteria more places to grow.

Are you certain that there is enough surface area for bacteria to populate? It doesn't sound like there is enough there to have a cycle.

 

[Brew12]

I used this tank for 1 month to treat fish for ich. Then I let it dry completely and then soaked in RO/DI water for several days then I added the hob and salt and began the cycle so I can quarantine fish. No inverts gong in it at all.

I'm pretty well stumped. Unless they add a ton of chlorine, you should be in good shape. I don't even suspect a bad test kit since your ammonia isn't dropping and your nitrate isn't climbing. Even more unlikely to be a bad test kit since your ammonia dropped via water change.

 

[moseley75]

Are you certain that there is enough surface area for bacteria to populate? It doesn't sound like there is enough there to have a cycle.

I think that is the purpose of the disks. It is like Marine Pure.

 

[moseley75]

I'm pretty well stumped. Unless they add a ton of chlorine, you should be in good shape. I don't even suspect a bad test kit since your ammonia isn't dropping and your nitrate isn't climbing. Even more unlikely to be a bad test kit since your ammonia dropped via water change.

There is just enough chlorine in the RO/DI water to make the test strip look not stark white. Sort of like a white towel that has been used for a while compared to a white towel that is brand new.
Not a bad test kit. I use it on my other tanks and it showed when ammonia was present and when it spiked etc.

 

[mcarroll]

Did you mention what your ammonia source was yet? Maybe post a pic of the bottle?

 

[moseley75]

This is the ammonia I used.