Well...it looks like fish time

Chloramine and Aqua Plus

Comparison of Water conditioners

I suspect your water conditioner is not sufficient for chloramine treated water.

Do a test, add tap water to a bucket, test for ammonia (should be zero). Then add the appropriate amount of your water conditioner. Then test for ammonia again. If you find ammonia, you know you have chloramines in your water and the water conditioner is not aboe to treat the ammonia released.

So, your water change is just like a big shot of ammonia, more than you were adding before and so the nitrite consuming bacteria are unprepared for it.

IMO, I'd go buy something that absolutely treats the ammonia as well as everything else but without locking it up so tightly taht the cycle is stalled for lack of ammonia. I use Prime. Just my two cents.
 
I checked into this the first time my cycle crashed. I called the utilities and they told me that there are no chloramines in our water. Unless they can get into my water another way, I don't think that is the issue. Just in case though I will look for Prime but I have yet to see it locally - thanks.
 
I don't see any other reason for the cycle to crash... if there is ammonia in the water and they add chlorine, then chloramines will form. Did you ask the water company about ammonia in the water also?

Hmm, what about the pH? Very low pH can nuke the bacteria.

What about the bucket you used to carry water? Is it new? Never been used with any cleansers? Do you use a sponge in the bucket or tank that is "anti-bacterial" -- that will hurt the biofilter and fish too.

Are you getting any other anti-bacterial products into the change water?
 
No ammonia in the tap water - checked that

Ph is fine out of the tap

I use a Python - home made with a garden hose. I can check the water coming out of the Python to see if there is a change from the tap water.
 
You may want to make sure the garden hose you are using does not have the antimold lining, the one reason I always caution against using garden hoses, unless you know 100% that it does not have an antimold/mildew lining.
 
How do you know if that is the case?
 
I was told to look for the inside of the hose being a different color than the outside. Some packages even say they have an "inhibitor" in the lining.

You can get food quality hose from homedepot for a small price. Not as much as a python, but more than a cheap garden hose.
 
I looked at home depot and it would have cost way more than a Python. It was like a $1.50 a foot - I wanted 50" which is why I went with the garden hose. I also have a RV hose which I think I will make use of instead of the regular garden hose I bought.

I guess it's worth a try but still not sure how using that garden hose would kill just my nitrite eating bacteria?
 
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Not sure what to do next

Well I just tested my water after running it through my home made python. Nothing... ammonia 0, nitrites 0. I even added some Aqua Plus and still zeros.

The only other thing I can think of is the fact that I leave my Aqua clear filters running through the water change. Maybe some chlorine is getting to them before it's actually been dechlorinated? I'm really grasping at straws here and don't know what to do. I'm stuck in the endless fishless cycle and really want to get past this. Has this never been heard of anywhere before?
 
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