NEED HELP

[gethy]

i have 4x 21lt tanks been cycling for 7 weeks now and im having a problem with ammonia in teh 2 tanks i have setup with Benibachi soil both tanks sitting at 1.0ppm but all other water parameters are fine its just the ammonia

all 4 tanks are running UG filter and a small bio filter, with tornado wood, benibachi miniral ball, IAL in each

the 2 tanks that dont have any water parameter issues one has fluval startum and the other has auqa one nano sub

 

need help to how to fix it

[fishmosy]

Hi Gethy,

Would you mind explaining "all other water parameters are fine"? Could you please provide specific parameters as this will help us to be able to help you. For example, if you are not detecting nitrate or nitrite, you may need to add some bacterial supplement or a filter from another aquaria to help kickstart the cycling process. If however the ammonia is being converted to nitrate, we need to figure out what is the source of the ammonia.

Also what temperature and pH do you have the tank at?

One thing that might be overlooked is that low pH (pretty much anything below 6) starts to inhibit the functioning of the bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrite,and nitrite to nitrates. Pretty much by the time the pH is 5 or less, the bacteria essentially stop functioning at all. I noticed when I set up my shrimp tank with benibachi that the pH was reduced to around 4.8 as I used a 6cm layer in a 40L tank. I removed most of the soil and the pH is now buffered to approx. pH 6.

[jayc]

Hi Gethy,

 

How thick is the substrate? - thicker it is the longer the cycle time.

What temperature have you set the cycling tank to? - beneficial bacteria will multiply faster in warmer temps (26DegC).

Are you using tap water? (tap water has some ammonia in it (chloramine))

Have you performed any small (10%) water changes? - Small water changes might help reduce the ammonia levels, and assist the beneficial bacteria in cycling it faster since there is less ammonia in the tank. But if you use tap water, you are just adding more back in.

 

Do you use bottled bacteria additives? - A good bacteria product will help reduce cycling time.

 

 

It would make sense that the other two tanks cycled faster.

The other two substrates don't have as much ammonia, and won't support plants as well as the Benibachi substrate. The downside is that the Benibachi substrate will take longer to cycle.

The benibachi is also better at buffering the tank water (acidic) for longer. Which is better for Crystals, Tigers, Pintos, etc.

Whereas, the Aqua One and Fluval susbtrates are more suited to Cherry shrimps.

[gethy]

tank 1 PH 6.4 NH 0ppm no2 0ppm no3 0ppm gh 7 kh 1-2 tds 259 temp 22 ( fluval startum )

bio start for 2 weeks then with UG and bio filter and rain water only

 

tank 2 PH 6.4 NH 1.0ppm no2 0ppm no3 0ppm gh 7 kh 1-2 tds 265 temp 21( beni )

bio start for 2 weeks then with UG and bio filter also had seeded water and bactiria from ther tanks and rain water only

 

tank 3 PH 6.0 NH 1.0ppm no2 0ppm no3 0ppm gh 7 kh 1-2 tds 257 temp 22( beni )

bio start for 2 weeks then with UG and bio filter also had seeded water and bactiria from ther tanks and rain water only

 

tank 4 PH 6.4 NH 0ppm no2 0ppm no3 0ppm gh 7 kh 1-2 tds 253 temp 20 (aquaone nano sub )

bio start for 2 weeks then with UG and bio filter and rain water only

 

with all tanks i have done a 10% water change weekly when cycling as this is what i have always done since i started in the aquarium hobbie

soil is about 1inch at the front and about half that at the back as it has the UG filter running at the back

and yep i know what i cna put in each tank as thats why i have the 3 diff subs running atm

 

i think i put everything down

[jayc]

Benibachi substrate will take longer to cycle than the other two substrates.

You can turn the heat up a bit more (26deg C) until the tank is fully cycled.

Turn the heat back down before you add your shrimp.

 

With the added heat, the beneficial bacteria should multiply a bit quicker.

I think you are on the right track. Just leave it for another few days.

[gethy]

done got the wife to put the heaters upto 26 and will see how it goes

thanks for the help

[fishmosy]

The undergravel filters might also be helping to pull more ammonia out of the soil by creating flow through the soil. All in all, it just sounds like you need more time.

[gethy]

still no change =( about to give up on the 2 tanks and start again

[fishmosy]

Just to confirm, no change in ammonia from 1.0ppt and no change in nitrates or nitrite from zero?

It shouldn't be that the ammonia level is too high because 2-4ppm is reccommended for fishless cycling. Maybe its too low? The low pH (6.0) also shouldn't be inhibiting the bacteria too much.

I wonder if there is something in the benibachi soil that reacts in the ammonia test to give a false positive. I've had false positives using ammonia tests when the test tubes werent cleaned properly from a previous test on another parameter, so the ammonia test seems susceptible to interference from chemicals other than ammonia.

Some people may disagree, but if it were me I would place a 'canary' shrimp in each tank to see what happens. Eight weeks without any evidence of the nitrogen cycle starting (nitrites, then nitrates) seems very strange to me. The most any tank has ever taken me to cycle is 6 weeks starting from scratch, and far less time when using media from an established tank.

Edited October 9, 2014 by fishmosy

[OzShrimp]

I have had ammonia tests expire to and some places dont disclose to you that their old. I brought a new test kit and got completely different readings 

[jayc]

Swap filters with the tank you know is cycled.

Test again after 24 hours.

 

If there is still no change then your test kit might be the culprit, as suggested by Ozshrimp.

 

Also agree with fishmosy, after so long, it might be a false reading, and a test subject might be suitable.

But a fish would be more tolerant than shrimp (if you already have fish).

Edited October 10, 2014 by jayc