Want to give up on Fishless Cycleing!

[leeser28]

Thank you all for the replys. I thought that the nitrite test turning greenish color every time when I added ammonia means too much nitrite for nitrate to convert into.... I will stop WC right away. As long as I know that I am getting close to the end, I can hang in here a little longer. Do I still need to feed ammonia everyday or should cut back a little?

I have an HOB filter with a bio wheel. I stuck some parts of rock wool from the plant pot and new filter floss at the empty slot where you can use to put your second cartridge. I don't know if they are considered as bio media. I am still leaning...Is it ok for me to put a ceramic ring or bio ball in the bag and stick it in the filter?

Instead of reading everysite on the internet for 3 weeks trying to figure it out alone, I should have posted a thread here sooner. You guys are so helpful!

I'm fairly new to this site and have learned so much! Welcome.

There are many different opinions about bioballs and ceramic rings. I use ceramic rings in addition to filter floss because I personally look at it as some added insurance for the housing of bacteria. The bacteria will also live in your gravel, on decorations, and on plants - not just in the filter. The ceramic won't contain bacteria yet, but will give a nice cozy place for it to live. What temp is your tank, bacteria like it a bit warm. When I cycled my 20 gal I upped the temp to a bit over 80 degrees for a while and then backed it off for a few days before adding live stock. And yes, keep adding small amounts of ammonia.

 

[Temeraire]

The problem here is introducing the bacteria in the first place. There's no substitute for putting some established media from another tank into the filter.

Time is, but I don't recommend it. :swear:

 

[leeser28]

Time is, but I don't recommend it. :swear:

:lol: Ain't that the truth. Hey Temeraire, I did the fishfood cycle too, NEVER AGAIN. For the tank I'm cycling now went and got straight ammonia.

 

[umitosora]

Thank you all for the replys again.

I do live in a cold area. I was wondering how some successfully cycle without the use of seeding media. That explains it.

It is clear that the only thing I have remaining to do is to get some media from an established tank. Since I don’t have a big tank, I unfortunately don't have room for more plants.


I will work on my smiles a couple of times in front of a mirror and off we go to the pet stores!! :lol:

Thanks again for all of your help!!

 

[leeser28]

I will work on my smiles a couple of times in front of a mirror and off we go to the pet stores!! :lol:

Perfect! Sometimes they'll let you buy a little decoration out of a tank -- also if they'd be willing to even put some wet gravel from a tank in a bag. Lastly, the API Stresszyme is actually bacteria in a bottle and you could try that. Good luck! Keep us posted

 

[Temeraire]

Most people will argue that bacteria in a bottle won't work, but I've never tried such products.

 

[colinsk]

We had a post a couple of moths ago were a person talked about putting soil into a cycling tank. He got it from a drainage ditch near a cow pasture. While it sound gross it is a good idea for fishless. Be careful though, there could be a lot of ammonia in it. When I set up my planted aquarium I not only used store bought soil but I used some local soil from my yard. It cycled very fast. In fact it cycled without me doing anything. The soil kept releasing ammonia. When the ammonia and nitiites were zero and my nitrates were still climbing I added plants and fish. I don't have a lot of bio load in it but when ever I test the water the nitrogens are all 0. My plants seem to be mopping up the nitrates quite well. I am assuming that I will have to be more careful as the bio load increases.

I really got lucky on that one.

 

[bluetik]

I've been exactly in your shoes, and I live in Florida, so I don't know that cold weather has much to do with it one way or another. This is contrary to what others are saying, but my anecdotal experience -- take it for what it's worth. I was about 7-8 weeks into my fishless cycle, with params like yours -- 0 ammonia, right? Nitrite through the roof, Nitrate 5-10 ppm. My neighbor was itching to give me the fish from her 20 gallon, b/c she wanted to sell it.

I did two 50% water changes in the course of a week to bring my Nitrite into readable range, went down to the lfs store and bought a bottle of SafeStart from Tetra (or the bacteria in a bottle of your choice), dumped it in, no more water changes, and I was cycled 3 days later. The fish went in the day of my 2nd and last water change of the cycle -- and I had no casualties.

My two cents. I thought I was the only one who ever had a fishless cycle that lasted so long. I was adding ammonia every day after I got to a 0 ammonia reading.

 

[THE V]

When I set up my planted aquarium I not only used store bought soil but I used some local soil from my yard. It cycled very fast.

The exact same bacteria that convert NH3 to NO2 then to NO3 in aquaria are found in soil. I would avoid using any standing body of water as you'll get all sorts of other things with it (like hydra, copepods, planaria, protists, crustaceans + many others).

It doesn't necessarily have to be cold to stall out a fishless cycle. Anytime you do not have much dust in the air the cycle can be slow. Florida in the rainy season would work just as well. There is very little dust in the air when it's dumping 6 inches of rain in a few hours (yeah I've been there).

 

[umitosora]

One of the pet stores I visited gave me about 2 hand full of gravels for free! (Others say no though...)

I have tested the water today and saw Nitrate went up by about 5! It is on the track.

Thank you for those who replied after my last post.

I never have thought about adding soil from the yard. Interesting.

I am glad to hear the success story from someone who was in the exactly same situation as I am in now. I will try the nature way of gravel first, but it fell, I would definately try to hunt Safe Start or soil (If it is warmer...)

Thanks again for all the help!