Project Fish Tank

[s72450]

Thanks for the help. I'll report back in a few to announce the results.

[s72450]

Okay so I've run into a problem with the cycling. I had a cup full of my boss's gravel from her tank, it's been running with the same substrate for nearly four years now, there is no way it's not full of bacteria right?

Well I placed the gravel in with my sand and put the ammonia in yesterday afternoon, two tsp and even this afternoon it's still registering a high amount of ammonia, like 8 ppm on the scale. Shouldn't the bacteria have used it up?

I really don't want to do another large water change since it takes so long and I'm not really feeling all that great. Suggestions, should I wait it out?

I'm just floored on how there couldn't have been bacteria from her tank. I kept the rocks/water warm until I got it home and then put it straight into the tank.

[Wiggs]

8ppm? Isnt that over twice the amount most use to cycle tanks? I know it is possible that too much ammonia can kill the bacteria....

[s72450]

I'm just not sure how that can even be possible and if it is, then I've probably killed the bacteria that was in there, oh fun.

[s72450]

I went ahead and did a 45% water change and will check my parameters again in the morning. I guess I'm just going to cycle the old fashioned way since it appears there isn't bacteria in the gravel I got from my boss.

[mac]

I went ahead and did a 45% water change and will check my parameters again in the morning. I guess I'm just going to cycle the old fashioned way since it appears there isn't bacteria in the gravel I got from my boss.

See if you can get some filter media of him. That will have bacteria in it for you.

mac

[s72450]

I got some filter media from the tank we have at work. I checked the nitrates on it and it registered low, but there were some, so I snagged it and did a 80% water change and am now letting it settle. Hopefully the ammonia levels are down after the rather large water change. I'll give it a few hours, probably after the BSG series finale and then I'll check levels.

[Cameron]

I got some filter media from the tank we have at work. I checked the nitrates on it and it registered low, but there were some, so I snagged it and did a 80% water change and am now letting it settle. Hopefully the ammonia levels are down after the rather large water change. I'll give it a few hours, probably after the BSG series finale and then I'll check levels.

Dont give up now!! I know it sucks sitting there with a tank full of water and sand but don't give in and buy fish. Trust me i was about to give up and all the sudden i saw nitrites and soon after that it was over. I know i would've regret putting fish in to do the dirty work. I too put in gravel from my 29g in a stocking and of course that didn't help too much, and i used an ornament too. Trust me just stick with your fishless cycle, its just a game of patience.

[s72450]

Oh I have no plans of adding fish until this is done right. I have a smaller tank with is housing my freshwater fish and it will be fine for now, plus I really don't have the cash flow going right now where I could really decorate the tank up. So I guess it's a good thing to be broke now, lol.

[s72450]

I let the tank run through the night and have just now checked results.

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0.25
Nitrate - 10

I'm going to add a slight bit of ammonia to the tank, but not very much seeing as before, less than 2 tsps were enough to give me 8 ppm levels. I'm thinking maybe 1 tsp and then will check again in a few hours.

The added filter media really did work wonders I think.