tank refuses to cycle....

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M

mhswres1

Jack Dempsey
MFK Member
Oct 3, 2011
38
17
38
bradenton florida
ok so heres my problem, i have a 75 gallon tank and when i test the ammonia in it its like a 4.0. my ph is like 8.6 because i hade the tank for chillids. the crazy thing is i have a flower horn in it right now and the thing seems overly happy all the time and not sick at all. i have tryed adding strees zyme, stable, and nutrafin cycle, all to no avail.... i do know my tap waters ammonia is quite high like a 2.0 i believe. the filters i have are an emperor 400 and a sump power useing a canister 304 fluval tgo pump the water back up. anyone have any idea why my ammonia seems so high yet my fish is thriving in every way?
 
Have you verified your test kit against another?
 
yes i have, i went to 2 local fish stores to do so. the only thing i can think of is SOMEHOW the ammonia is traped in ammonium form, although that should be pretty much impossible at 8.6 ph right?
 
Yes, not at high as yours.

How long have you been trying to cycle this tank? What means to cycle have you gone by?
 
im pretty new 2 fish keeping as this is only my third tank. i simply added the tank cycle after my pre water conditioner and continied to add cycle as i saw the ammonia levels wher not droping at all.not really sure how else i would go about cycling a tank? i have plenty of bio filtration as well
 
also been trying to cycle for a little over 3 weeks now with NO progress made. im about ready to take my flower horn back and just let the tank sit a few weeks then check it. or i will simply try to start it over. also my sup in to troditonal, its crushed coral(for high ph) then hits red lava rock, then simply gathers in a compartment with gravle/pump in it.
 
By conventional methods it take 4-6 weeks to cycle a tank. Best to not even worry about the pH until the tank is cycled. Below is a link regarding the nitrogen cycle and a few different methods.

Also you stated you tap water has ammonia in it, this is probably chloramine are you treating your water with a de-chlor like prime?

http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm
 
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