Failing Cycling 101

[cheryl]

My tank has been running for 5 weeks today, and this is what is happening:

10/2 NH3 0.5, pH 7, Nitrite 0, nitrate 0
12/2- NH3 0.5, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0, pH 6.9
14/2 pH 7.1, NH3 0.5, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0
17/2 pH 7.3, NH3 1.0, Nitrite 0
19/2 pH 7.1, NH3 1.0, Nitrite 0
21/12 pH 7, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 10, NH3 0.5
5/3 NH3 slight trace, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 20 pH 6.8
added ammonium chloride
9/3 NH3 0.5, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 10
10/3 NH3 0.25, pH 6.7, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 10
12/3 NH3 slight trace, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 10, pH 6.6

Can someone please advice me where to go from here? It has been tested every day but i only bothered to record it if there was a change. I have never had a nitrite reading.
Do i add limestone to get the pH up? Is it cycled?

 

[robert]

I had this problem. It took ages for my tank to cycle. What kind of filter do you have? Can you test the KH (water hardness)How is the tank set up eg ornaments plants gravel/sand? Fish? Fish = ammonia = nitrite = nitrate = removal: this is the ‘cycle’ of the tank.The cycling process may take three weeks or it may take six: each tank varies a little. About a month is usual though. If your tank is still not cycled after 6 weeks then something is wrong: these are common problems to check for:
1. Too many fish in too small a tank
2. Over feeding
3.Something rotting in the tank (e.g. a plant or some food buried in the gravel)
4.The filter is inadequate for the size of tank or not working properly
5. Inadequate aeration (the bacteria need oxygen too)
6. The pH is too high or too low
7.The temperature is too high or too low
8. The water is not dechlorinated
Tanks below 25c will take longer to cycle.

 

[jennifer]

cheryl, I wouldn't give you a failing grade in cycling 101, in fact, I think you have probably completed the assignment!

Ammonia: went up to 1.0, then dropped back down to 0 (perfect).
Nitrite: never appeared. Either the "right" bacteria were already there, or your test kit wasn't working well.
Nitrate: started at zero, now is present (perfect).
pH: dropping. As the products of waste breakdown are slightly acidic, this is normal.

Based on the drop in pH, I suspect that you have soft water. As a long-term solution, you should consider adding crushed shells, limestone, or calcium carbonate to the tank or the filter. If this doesn't keep the pH above 6.5, you can also consider using a buffer solution (but NOT the "pH UP" and "pH Down" stuff).

By the way, you should still monitor the ammonia, etc., after you add the axolotl(s). It may still take some time until the bacteria are present in enough quantity to deal with the waste.

 

[cheryl]

I have sand as a substrate, a few dying plants (should i remove them?), a castle a few tunnels and 2 big rocks. /the water has ranged from 26-29C. I have 2 filters... a corner one (you know the ones that work with an airstone- it has filter wool and activated charcoal) and one that sucks in water and spirts it out (that has a sponge and activated charcoal). There are no fish in the tank.
I dont know about the accuracy of the kit (its the kind with testtubes that you put drops of stuff in the water), but i did a second tank with some kids i teach and it registered nitrites for their tank). Its tank water so it was never chlorinated.
None of the stuff in the tank was previously in an aquarium so i doubt the bacteria was already there.
If i shouldnt use pH up/down, what should i use?
Im thinking i will get 1 axy on wednesday and monitor the water closely.

 

[skylar]

I hope you will regulate the temp before you add the axie! even 26 is way to high. As far as I know there is some bacteria present in the water which is why you can do a cycle with a bare tank (though it takes ages)

 

[cheryl]

i have a homemade chiller ready to go- i just wanted to keep the temp high while it was cycling because i read it would speed the process.

 

[sharn]

take out that activated charcoal, normally best to use to remove meds otherwise it can absorb nasites and when full leach them back in!

ph of 6.6 is ok! a little acidic but still ok. if you would like to get it up naturally chuck some bird grit (the stuff they eat) into a stocking and add it to your filter, this ups it slowly. ph up and down arent that great IMO, they work but your going to get fluctuations all the time and theres safer ways to get things right

good luck getting your axie! gunna be exciting and make sure you try get us some pics!

 

[cheryl]

I will take out the charcoal today, and also look into getting some shell grit.

I cant wait to get an axie- the petshop has some really cool ones at the moment. they have two that are kind of a tan colour with black eyes (super light wildtypes maybe) and a nice dark wildtype plus a couple of golden albinos. Im praying they dont sell the tan ones before i can get one. I will definately send pics!
I also have some alge growing on the walls of the tank now. It is coming up in spots, and is a kind of dark olive green. Is there something i can do to get rid of this?