# New tank and ammonia cycle not starting



## Arthurdent510 (Mar 29, 2012)

Hi everyone  I started a freshwater tank just over 3 weeks ago. It's a planted 25 gallon tank. It currently has 4 fish in it, 2 gourami's, and 2 catfish. My concern is that I haven't seen the ammonia cycle kick in yet... Fish were added at the end of day 3 of the tank. It was prepped with Stress-zyme as per the product's description, and it's been added as per the schedule. It started out very well, the tank was clear, but ph was a bit high. At the end of the first week, the tank suddenly got cloudy. I figured this was normal for a new tank, and didn't pay any attention. Then the ammonia started to climb, and hasn't backed down. I've been testing for nitrate and nitrite as well, but I have not gotten anything for either of those, while the ammonia has not dropped any. I lost one of my groupies a few days ago, so I figured it's time to do something. I did a 20% water change and started added ammo-lock to try to save the rest of my fish. The tank did clear up after the water change. Been on that treatment for 2 full days now and I have not seen any improvement at all... the remaining fish are still alive, but I don't see anything on the nitrate or nitrite tests, and ammonia isn't going down any (I know the ammo-lock stuff won't remove it, but from what the bottle says the ammonia tester i'm using should register that it's working). I've taken water samples in to the local shops as well, just to make sure my test supplies weren't bad, but they came back with the same readings. Does anyone have any suggestions? Not too sure where to go from here... Thanks!


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## Summer (Oct 3, 2011)

First off you can use some seachem prime to reduce the ammonia's effects on the fish. The cycle should progress on it's own soon, but you can also see if a local pet store can give you some used media or gravel. Just be sure it comes from a clean place you know you wont be introducing diseases from. This will kick start the bacteria that you need.


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## Stinky (Jun 18, 2009)

What type of filter do you have? Of course, you're de-chlorinating the water, right? Seeding bacteria from another source as the above poster says is probably the quickest way to start things, but it should have already happened by itself by now. An exterior filter with enough force can filter the most water, and if you seed bacteria, that's where you should put the transplant object. I've found this is a quick way to cycle a new tank. And of course be sure to keep the foam or whatever bacteria bed you have in the filter undisturbed. The way these filters are sold, you're supposed to keep the carbon to keep the ammonia down until the cycle starts, then pull it out. But it's best if you start with only one or two fish, then add the rest when it's complete.


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## Arthurdent510 (Mar 29, 2012)

I'm using an Aqueon quietflow 30, and I have been de-chlorinating the water before it goes in the tank. Just so I understand what you're suggesting, I should get some used gravel and add it in with my filter? Or just add it to the gravel I already have in my tank? Thanks for the suggestions!


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## Crazy (Mar 1, 2012)

I add the gravel to the substrate and add some used filter media to my filter. A double whammy.


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## Arthurdent510 (Mar 29, 2012)

Ok, so an update...Starting week 5, I believe, and still no cycle. The ammonia check is coming back blue now (I have an api kit). We have lost 2 fish since we started, but it's been a few weeks since the last one died. I'm not seeing any nitrite or nitrate still. I did some used filter from the local fish shop, but they didn't have enough gravel in the bottom of their tanks so he didn't think that'd help any. It's been in there for over a week now, and still not getting anything. I've been adding seachem stability now, started treating the tank with that on Friday. All of my levels look good, except for ammonia. And now we're starting to get brown algae. Does anyone have any more suggestions on how we can get this starting to cycle? A run down on everything that is currently in the tank:

-We have several live plants. I don't remember the names of them... they all seem to be doing pretty good
- 1 Dwarf Gourami
- 2 julie cory catfish

Our filter is an Aqueon Quietflow 30. We also have a air stone along the back of the tank. We have one ornament in there as well, it is kinda large. Lights are a coralife 6700k bulb and a colormax bulb. 

This is what it looked like, before we added fish.









Thanks!


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