missing nitrite cycle

[ineke]

Well today is 2 weeks since the new canister was added into my new tank setup and I've still got ammonia showing at 1ppm- haven't taken any other readings over the last few days but there were nitrates on Wednesday. I have my Seachem Stability now so have dosed the tank as if day one and will dose for the required 7 days.

I have plants ,I have the light on for about 3 hours a day ,no livestock of any sort temp 23/24. Apart from waiting for the stability to start working any other hints please. I've never had this problem before so any input is welcome besides PATIENCE thats running low now

[2OFUS]

Do a big water change :)

Add some more stability

[ineke]

Ok I will give that a go that is what my head was telling me but I was told not to change water while cycling- well its not doing anything so might as well Thanks:D

[ineke]

Right I have done a 30 litre water change and put another starting dose of stability in to the tank. The tank probably had 90 litres in it so thats a 1 third change. hopefully it will get out of it's stuck cycle -fingers crossed:encouragement:

[ineke]

Thank goodness I think we might be on the move again. Water change yesterday ,stability added again as for new start and new ammonia test kit opened as the other one was right at the bottom with just a few drops left. The ammonia is 0.25 ppm by both test kits this morning so thats an improvement but will have to see if it stays down now. once the ammonia is 0 I will do full water tests and hopefully by the middle of next week I might be able to put the shrimp in there:D

[ineke]

On going saga I still have ammonia. I have stability in there, I did a big water change as suggested and that bought the ammonia down but it is still there.

WP

TDS 175

Gh is high 7

KH also high 4

PH 5.6

Ammonia 0.25

Nitrite 0

Nitrate 5

I guess it's still patience it's a big deep tank .I've added some extra plants and moss but this is week 3 nearly 4 so at a loss unless it just takes a canister longer to get going? I've never used one before and it is a large amount of media to get the bacteria to colonise. Any other suggestions? :encouragement:

[Sprae]

Just read the whole thread, that sound weird that there's still ammonia in there. Ammonia at 0.25ppm is not harmful but best to be zero. GH should be max at 4-6 and KH at 0-2.

So you're using RO water with SSM and benibachi soil? It's the same setup I have and I get GH 6 and KH 1 with Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate are all zero. This is after I reset my tank recently. Added shrimps after a week and 3 weeks in, it's all going fine.

Just remember there's no perfect WP.

[Sprae]

Also forgot to ask, did you check your RO WP before adding SSM?

[ineke]

Ro Water all good. Only thing I have that may be leaching is some tubes I made out of plastic and super glued together but they should be ok. I have taken them out today. It will be 4 weeks on Friday that the canister was added to the tank so maybe that just needs more time.

I will leave it all be until friday and then retest the full WP's again .Will still test the ammonia -it has come down but not enough. I am putting Michlings and some of their babies in this tank so can't take any chances, it has to be perfect before they go in.

I may do anther water change on Friday and see how that goes the last one did help but don't want to keep adding new water.:encouragement:

[torface]

Ive heard that it can take cansiters 6+ weeks to colonise with bacteria...

[shrimpstan]

see if u can get some BT-9. its a bacteria designed for shrimp.. especially the good ones ;)

[ineke]

Thanks shrimpstan any clue on who might have it?

[ineke]

Ive heard that it can take cansiters 6+ weeks to colonise with bacteria...

yes I think I saw that too. This is the first time ever that I have waited so long but it takes how long it takes I guess. I just wanted to make sure there wasn't something I was missing:)

[ineke]

http://i1293.photobucket.com/albums/b583/ineke24/P6210043_zps2ee8c39c.jpg' alt='P6210043_zps2ee8c39c.jpg'>

My poor empty tank:(

[Squiggle]

I will be all good soon, I know everyone has been telling you to have patience but it's the only thing you can do, it will take as long as it takes. IME the longer it takes the better your tank will be :victorious:

[amkr]

If you've been dosing stability regularly, that's probably bumping up your GH.

[ineke]

If you've been dosing stability regularly' date=' that's probably bumping up your GH.[/quote']

my GH is a bit high but when the ammonia is 0 I will do a water change and then see what the WP's are as it is empty I can just top up with RO water then add salty shrimp if it is needed. :encouragement:

[ninja]

Your tank looks nice except that heater, put it vertical, in a corner IMO?

[ineke]

I will be all good soon' date=' I know everyone has been telling you to have patience but it's the only thing you can do, it will take as long as it takes. IME the longer it takes the better your tank will be :victorious:[/quote']

Well 6 weeks was the goal only 2 more to go I'm just grumbling its Bob's fault he said I'm not allowed to play with my tanks and now I just sit on my hands and watch the shrimplets because I'm sooooo scared of Bob. Even the little plants I ordered haven't turned up so I couldn't plant them and the tanks aren't due for water testing until Monday - sigh- I'm bored:(

[ineke]

Your tank looks nice except that heater' date=' put it vertical, in a corner IMO?[/quote']

I had it like that to circulate the heat but I will put it in the corner and also get the sponges level didn't realise they were so untidy:)

[ninja]

Lol, sorry to be so critical, I never mentioned the sponges? I just have a thing about horizontal heaters looking like dogs b...s in a tank. You should have enough circulation in the tank to distribute the heated water, if not you are in trouble.

I would not have mentioned it to anyone else, Ineke, sorry!

[ineke]

I'm not worried Ninja sometimes you look at things and don't really notice it. I've looked at all my tanks and everyone with a heater that's visible is horizontal . I will be changing them all now and yes there is enough water circulation:encouragement:

[ninja]

I don't know why but all my heaters are vertical unless they don't fit that way, I think it's an old habit of leaving the top out to adjust without putting my hands in the water. Maybe an old fallacy I was told, about them not working properly horizontaly ages ago???? Also I don't think they look that good anyway.

[ineke]

I have to agree that's the one thing I like about my cubes the workings are hidden. One of my heaters won't go completely vertical but it still looks better! :)

[newbreed]

Hey Eneke,

Your tank looks great, they are very lucky shrimp who are going to be residing there. Great scaping.

I believe that heaters are suggested to be vertical if you are using a canister and pushing water from left to right (vice versa), giving more surface area heated at the same time. The way your sponge filter was pushing the water upward would have distributed the heat well too. They work either way, it comes down to personal preference in the end.

I have mine usually on a diagonal, just to be different. :cool-new: