Cycling problem

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RobE

Candiru
MFK Member
Aug 17, 2008
440
0
46
Seminole, FL
I recently set up a 75 gal tank and started a fishless cycle. Everything was going fine, ammonia was dropping to zero everyday and i would bring it back up to about 4ppm, nitrites had spiked and i was even showing nitrates. About 4 weeks in i started getting some red/brown algae that i figured formed from the high ammonia/nitrates. A week later i started getting a bright green algae on everything but ammonia was still dropping everyday and nitrites were still high now all of a sudden the ammonia has stopped dropping and stays high, the nitrite test starts out purple and then goes to a blue/green color thats not on the chart the water also has a musty smell to it. I didn't anything to it during this time except add the ammonia (Ace Hardware brand). Can anyone tell me what happend and what i need to do, like drain the water and start over or what. Any input would be greatly appreciated im tired of looking at an empty tank! its been about 7 weeks now.
 
try adding live plants from established tanks and driftwood from your suppliers tanks it should help maybe they might sell you like 30 gallons of there aged water that should help ya.
 
Thanks for the input ill try to do that this weekend and see how it goes. The only thing i don't understand is why the bacteria died in the first place:cry:.
 
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