tank cycling problem

[Arron]

Been cycling my 2ft thank for about a month now, ammonia still present at about 2ppm no nitrite very little nitrate(not even at 10ppm). I added atm colony 1 day ago. It's a shrimp tank so ph is around 6, I read that the nitrification process stops when ph is below 6.5 is that true? How much longer will it take or what should I do? Any bateria products that can quicken the process? 1 month is kinda long. I'm using borneowild plant soil, it's says to be able to add shrimps in a week but ammonia was at 2 ppm and I didn't want to risk it. What should I do?

[Y3H]

Don't risk it, you would probably wipe out all the new additions and waste money.

I think you could do some water change to reduce the ammonia levels, since too much ammonia is overwhelming for the bacteria at low pH. Keep dosing the bacteria if you have any.

My shrimp tank used to be at pH 6 at the start, and after a few huge water changes the pH rose back to 7 and was stable since then, and the cycle continued.

Take my advise with a pinch of salt though, I do not have much experience with this. Hopefully others can advise

[Urban Aquaria]

One month is still early to complete cycling a new tank ... which coincidently is around the time when most of us start to lose patience/panic and try to find ways to quick-cycle.

Usually it takes anywhere between 6-8 weeks (sometimes longer) for a brand new tank to cycle, assuming there is sufficient filtration and bio-media for the beneficial bacteria to establish properly.

Quite often nothing seems to be happening for a few weeks, but once the bacteria population grows large enough to handle the cycle, you'll see the ammonia and nitrite conversion phrases start to progress at a much faster pace.

Dosing commercial bacteria solutions can help accelerate the process, or at least simulate a cycle while the real beneficial bacteria develop in the background. Just follow the instructions and dosing schedule.

Note that when completing a cycle using bacteria solutions, do monitor it with tests for a few more weeks to ensure it is a stable cycle and not just a temporary cycle.

[Arron]

The atm colony stated that I should just pour the entire bottle into the tank and do not do any water change. I'm really worried that there is no bacteria growing at all but I know I had a bacteria bloom during week 1 and it subsided already. The water used to have a very strong fishy smell but I was told it's part of the cycling process, now the smell isn't there but the tank has yet to cycle. Ive got about 8 snails in there who contribute to the production of ammonia, I doubt it's a lot as other people use fish to cycle

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[Arron]

During week 1 I dosed sera bio nitrivec, I was told it was very good at setting up a bio filtration but up until now ammonia is still present. My previous tank had the same problem of not cycling but after dosing atm colony my cycle completed within 1 week.

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[Urban Aquaria]

Yeah, there are many types of bacteria which maintain the stable cycle in a tank, usually the strongest/dominant ones that survive and multiply would be those that find your particular tank parameters the most favorable for them.

I guess that could be a reason why certain bacteria solutions work for some tanks and not for others.

[Arron]

Do you think it'll eventually cycle?

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[Urban Aquaria]

Do you think it'll eventually cycle?

All tanks will eventually cycle, just depends on how much time it takes to complete the process.

More important is how stable the cycle is, the best is to give the tank time to establish a strong population of beneficial bacteria, with ample bio-media for them to colonize, along with sufficient circulation and oxygen to do their jobs.

Even a bare tank with no substrate and no bio-media can "cycle" eventually, the bacteria just eventually attach and grow on the tank glass and equipment, but since there is comparatively much less surface area for the bacteria to colonize, they wouldn't be able to handle much bio-load or maintain the cycle as effectively.

[Arron]

Ohh thanks guys! Haha sorry I think I was really losing patience after the 1 month mark as I was told a tank can cycle within 2 weeks. All my previous shrimp tanks cycled within 2-3 weeks except this one

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[Arron]

I tested my tank and the reading is 2ppm ammonia nitrite 0 nitrate 0. I have some floating plants in my tank so I'm not sure if they are sucking out the nitrate of nitrate is not even being produced. What could it be???

[Y3H]

It looks to me that your cycle hasn't even begun.

[Arron]

It looks to me that your cycle hasn't even begun.

Hasn't begun after 1 month??? Wow that's extremely long. However a few days ago I tested for nitrates at a very low level so I'm not sure where the nitrate came from

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[Urban Aquaria]

If you saw nitrates a few days back, then most likely the plants are effectively taking up the low amounts of nitrates as soon as they are being converted... which is a good indication that the plants are working.

With ammonia still showing it just means there is still not enough bacteria to convert all of the ammonia yet, so the cycle is still in progress, just have to wait it out.

[Arron]

Should I do water changes?

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[Urban Aquaria]

Yes, water changes will help flush out the excess ammonia which would otherwise require more time for the bacteria to process.

[Arron]

Okay thanks! Any bateria product you recommend?

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[Suzerolt]

You could also try aerating the tank with an air pump at night. Bacteria need oxygen.
Maybe its just me but this did help me speed up the cycling process.

[Arron]

I already have a sponge filter running plus a cannister filter is that sufficient? ?

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[Urban Aquaria]

Okay thanks! Any bateria product you recommend?

In my case, i didn't use bacteria solutions to cycle my first planted tank, i just let it cycle naturally with ADA Aquasoil for around 7-8 weeks and it was done, after that all my other tanks were subsequently seeded from established tanks and fast cycled. So i can't really comment much on the actual efficacy of bacteria solutions.

Though i've heard from friends who used products like Seachem Stability and Mosura BT-9 (quite popular for shrimp tanks) and they seem to work... or at least provide a temporary "cycle" so that livestock can be introduced earlier while the tank continues cycling.

[Arron]

I've been using mosura bt 9 but it doesn't seem to be working though

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