HELP! Cant get tank to cycle

[knowles_101]

is it possible that my filter is not providing enough place for my bacteria colony to grow? maybe adding a few sponges at the bottom of my filter would help? I tested the water this morning and the PH was steady at 8.4, Amonia 0, Nitrites were off the scale and Nitrates were reading 20ppm.

I dosed the tank with 2-3ppm this morning to keep the bacteria growing.

should I just wait this out untill my nitrites disapear while dosing the amonia to 2-3ppm?

 

[wataugachicken]

most of the bacteria live at the waterline in the filter, that way they stay moist but get the maximum amount of oxygen. they're invisible to the naked eye, the real estate they have in the filter is enough for them.

yes, keep dosing daily until ammonia and nitrites are both zero. just don't spike it, keep the amount the same every day. . . . hmmm.

when you dose the tank, do you test the water and add enough ammonia to bring the level up to 2-3 ppm, or do you add the same amount every day? for example, if the ammonia present in the tank was 1ppm, would you add enough to bring it up to 2-3ppm or would you just add 2-3ppm on top of the existing amount, causing there to be 3-4ppm? if it is the second situation that could be causing problems as there needs to be a consistent amount.