Slow Cycling

[rmk2010]

So, I got a 55 gallon fish tank for my birthday, and it's been a few years since I have set up a freshwater fish tank. I am familiar with the process of cycling a new tank, but my tank seems to be cycling a lot slower than I recall.

I set up the tank and added 6 fish 2 and a half weeks ago (3 black skirts and 3 australian rainbow). I used a dechlorinator that removes chlorine and chloramines. The ammonia reading is 1.0ppm, but so far I have not seen any nitrites or nitrates.

Should I be concerned with how slow the tank is cycling? Could there be something else in the water that is causing the bacteria to not grow? Fish are active and appear healthy.

Other info: the pH of my tap water is 8.6. I know this is high, but both of the pet stores in town (petco, petsmart) told me to not lower the pH because the pH in their tanks is also 8.6. The temp of my tank is 80*F. I do not know the hardness of the water, but the pet store told me that the area water is pretty soft. I am using a biological/carbon filter.

 

[Meghan]

So, I learned the hard way. From what I now know, it is quicker to cycle fishless than fish in. It's also easier, IMO, because you don't have to worry about the ammonia and nitrite being toxic to the fish and doing daily water changes.
I just bought a new tank and am definitely going to do a fishless cycle. I've also read that cycling with plants makes it go by quicker, and of course if you can get your hands on some media from a tank that has already cycled, that would help.
I think it was close to 2 months before my ammonia & nitrite stayed at 0. I still have no nitrates- I've been told that it is probably because I have such a low bioload.
What you'll have to do now is plenty of water changes (I'm talking probably daily, if not twice a day) to keep the ammonia & nitrite from being so toxic to your fishies. Anything above .50 is toxic.
It may take another couple weeks, but at some point you will see your ammonia drop and your nitrite spike, that is when you will be close to finish.
Like I said, I think mine took about 2 months, maybe more, to cycle.
Good luck, and stay patient!