Fishless cycling taking FOREVER!

[gores95]

Hey guys I am still in the process of fishless cycling my 40 Gallon Stretch Hex.

I started back on 2/16 and have actually kept a journal ot testing every day. My family thinks I am insane! I originally brought my ammonia to 3-5PPM and on 3/10 my ammonia level finally hit 0. Each morning I add a couple of capfuls of pure ammonia to get the level back up to 2-3ppm and the following morning the reading is 0 again. The issue I am having is the Nitrites...I cannot get them down to zero. They started out at 5 or so and now each morning they read a lightish purple: 1-2.

In the course of this fishless cycling I have added 3, 3 oz. packets of BioSpira and one small bag of "seeded" gravel from the LFS. Does anyone know if BioSpira contains both ammonia eating and nitrite eating bacteria?

This morning's readings:

0 ammonia
1-2 nitrite
7.2 PH

My temp was at 80 degrees and I actually moved that up to 82 to hopefully speed things up. I also have a six inch airstone opened up full blast. The plants are fake (sorry) and other than them and a few decorations nothing has been added to the tank.

Should I ease the PH higher (using baking soda)? How about a water change? Although this was a brand new tank, canister filter and substrate should this be taking so long? Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Marc

[emc7]

BioSpira contains both ammonia eating and nitrite eating bacteria?

I think it does. Stability does, they tell you to add it again once nitrites show up.

[COM]

BioSpira contains both ammonia and nitrite eating bacteria.

If you are using BioSpira there is no need to do a fishless cycle. With BioSpira, you spill it in the tank and you can add a full load of fish in a few hours. I let my tank sit overnight. In the morning, the BioWheel was visibly slower and grayer. I added 21 fish immediately and have only lost one due to nipping, not ammonia. My ammonia readings have only popped up to a trace level. Nitrites flashed for about a day. Within 1 week ammonia and nitrite were undetectable and some nitrates were building, but not at any dangerous levels.

[gores95]

Originally Posted by COM

BioSpira contains both ammonia and nitrite eating bacteria.

If you are using BioSpira there is no need to do a fishless cycle. With BioSpira, you spill it in the tank and you can add a full load of fish in a few hours. I let my tank sit overnight. In the morning, the BioWheel was visibly slower and grayer. I added 21 fish immediately and have only lost one due to nipping, not ammonia. My ammonia readings have only popped up to a trace level. Nitrites flashed for about a day. Within 1 week ammonia and nitrite were undetectable and some nitrates were building, but not at any dangerous levels.

That is interesting since I dumped the BioSpira in yesterday and Nitrite levels still are not at zero. My nitrite levels have not reached zero since I started this and honestly I do not want to add fish until the level reaches zero. That's what fishless cycling is all about right? Not putting fish through ammonia or nitrite spikes.

It sounds like you were doing a fishy cycle using BioSpira. I am doing a fishless cycle using BioSpira. Fortunately for you it took a LOT faster!

[COM]

The purpose of BioSpira is to eliminate the need for a fishless cycle. Perhaps you are not seeing the success that I did because the bacteria are dying off.

[gores95]

Originally Posted by COM

The purpose of BioSpira is to eliminate the need for a fishless cycle. Perhaps you are not seeing the success that I did because the bacteria are dying off.

Well I am adding pure ammonia to the tank every 24 hours. Not sure why my bacteria would die off.....

[Scuba Kid]

Have you tried testing with another nitrite test kit? Yours may be slightly off. Your problem could be as simple as that...

[welchrock]

Sounds to me like you're over-analyzing the whole situation. Do you have access to anyone else's tank water? Even a small bucket-full would drastically speed up your cycling.

You may also want to consider throwing some feeder fish in there or even a Betta - they both should be fine with fluctuating water conditions and should speed up your cycling while acting as guinea pigs for the stocking to come.

[trashion]

Welchrock, adding someone's water won't do anything. It's squeezings from mature filter media or an actual piece of it that will carry over substantial amounts of bacteria.

[gores95]

Overanalyzing? Me? Absolutely!!!!

As for adding a few fish isn't that contrary to fishleess cycling? I thought I should add ammonia daily until ammonia and nitrites are both zero. To date only ammonia goes to zero. Nitrites have NEVER gone below one.

I guess I will just have to be patient...

[hvc801]

Being patient is actually the best thing. Unfortunitally for me I had not been aware of a cycle and let the water circulate for about a week and thought it was fine. put fish in there and im having A LOT of problems lol. lost 5 out of 10 fish. I had used stability when i saw that the nitrIte levels were high to speed up the cycling process and it greatly decreased my nitrIte levels. Stuff works real well and real quick, also heard that BioSpira also does wonders. But being patient is truley the key.

[COM]

You don't need to be patient, HVC. Dump in some BioSpira and your tank will be cycled overnight. No more fish loss.

[Fishfirst]

COM and Gores95 sometimes if biospira isn't shipped or refrgerated or has been on the shelf too long it dies... that might be your problem... but I'd check the accuracy of your test kit at your LFS first.

[Obsidian]

COM they have used BioSpira several times so far. I am inclined to go with FishFirst on this one. For whatever reason the BioSpira isn't helping OR the test is wrong. I recently had a bad test for NitrAte and when I bought a new bottle things matched up again

Are you using liquid tests? Or the strips? If you are using the strips I would suspect them right off. If it is a liquid test kit it could be too old (thats what happened to mine).

[JustOneMore20]

Biospira doesn't always "work" either. That may be because of a bad batch. They could have come in the store a little too warm and then popped in the refrigerator. You think they are fine and chilled, but you don't know what happened to them before they got to the store and into the refrig.

Keep adding ammonia, leave the pH alone and eventually you'll see the nitrites drop. Be patient.

[gores95]

OK guys I will definitely be patient. Its been since 2/16 so another few weeks won't kill me (my kids might though!!!).

As for the test kits, I am using API liquid test and the tap water definitely tests blue...zero nitrites. As for the BioSpira I purchased the three packs at two different LFS's. Both were refrigerated but who knows if they were still "good".

[kay-bee]

Out of curiousity, what's your nitrate level at?

The cycling process can take 4-8 weeks, so your cycle isn't behind schedule (even prior to using biospira).

[gores95]

Originally Posted by kay-bee

Out of curiousity, what's your nitrate level at?

The cycling process can take 4-8 weeks, so your cycle isn't behind schedule (even prior to using biospira).

Haven't tested nitrates in a few weeks but as I recall they were around 10. I will test and post the number in the next couple of days.

[gores95]

Update....tested nitrites the past two days and now .25-.50. Ammonia still at zero. Added another couple of capfuls of ammonia and will retest tomorrow night. I think (hope) to be adding fish this weekend!

[gores95]

OK guys my tank has FINALLY cycled!!!!! Checked the Ammonia and Nitrites this evening and both were ZERO!!! I added a couple of capfuls of ammonia tonight (gotta keep the bacteria nourished) and tomorrow I will retest late in the afternoon. If both are zero again I will also test Nitrates and then do a large 75% or more water change, test Nitrates again and then take my daughters to buy some fish!

Hopefully 24 hours from now my tank will FINALLY have fish! For the record my Fishless Cycle lasted from 2/16-4/3...a full month and a half. I dosed three times with BioSpira and once with a seeded bag of gravel from the LFS. Did not do any water changes but had to top off a couple of times. Still took a while.

Thanks for bearing with all my questions!

Marc