I have been doing a fishless cycle for 6 weeks and I'm stumped!!! Haven't had to add much ammonia since the start because it keep testing above 4ppm. Started using fish food, then switched to pure ammonia but only had to add it a couple of times. A couple of days ago I got antsy and added a bottle of SafeStart to my 26 gallon tank.. Tested today, ammonia still high and no signs of nitrites at all!!! Stuff in tank getting coated with white fuzzy looking film. I'm about to give up but my granddaughter goes to the tank every time she comes through the door pointing and yelling " Bish! Bish!(she's 18 months) and taking her to Petsmart to visit the fish is getting old!!! What can I do???
Fishless cycling almost 6 weeks!!! Help!!!
- Thread starter Katydid2461
- Start date
What kind of filter are you using? I like the ones with the bio wheel because you never remove and if you change filters there is still beneficial bacteria that stays there and does not alter the tanks biological filtration. Are you using a drip/test tube type test kit or a the strips? The fuzzy looking stuff needs to go, do a water change and vacuum up what you can. Dont worry if you can not get it all. I would back off on the feeding of food and ammonia until you see it go down then add a tiny pinch every other day or two. Have you tested for nitrate at all? Some kits will show ammonia that was made inert by the water additives. If you show nitrate and zero nitrite you are probably cycled but the inert ammonia is throwing you off. I am just speculating here so this might not be the case at all. I would water change to about 50%-ish or so. You dont have fish in there so you wont harm anything. Let us know what you find!!