I have a 55 gal freshwater tank for the past year. This summer I lost all my fish, due in part I think my aquarium never cycled properly to begin with. S

Now, I'm starting over with a fishless cycle. In August after my fish died I decided to start again. I didn't empty my tank as my readings were high to begin with, instead I did some research and was told to add ammonia.

I added some (pure) ammonia til the reading was 4.0 and turned up the heater and waited.

I just came home last week from a couple of weeks away. Last Wednesday (my first day back) I tested the water and still nothing had happened the ammonia was at 1.00ppm the Nitrites were 0, the Nitrates were around 40ppm. (Hubby did nothing but add water and scrub the algae off the tank I found out just yesterday).

On Friday I thought I'd test again and the Ammonia was now at .5, Nitrites at 1 and Nitrates around 20. I was excited the Nitrites were purple! I thought I was half way - maybe further through the process.

On Saturday I tested again and the Nitrites was almost back down to 0, the ammonia is at .5 and the nitrates were up around 20 or 30.

I've tested again on Sunday, Monday and this morning and the nitrites are back to 0 but the ammonia is still .5 and the nitrates are still around 30 or 40.

Could I have had a false reading from my nitrites that was that false?

I'm not sure if I should wait it out for a few more days, or add more ammonia in case the cycle stalled while I was away.

Has anyone seen or heard of anything like this before?

__________________
Fish keeping is like golfing; hopelessly seeking elusive perfection.
_______________
55 gal freshwater
2 Angels
1 Pearl Gourami
2 Tiger Barbs
2 Albino Barbs
2 Green Barbs
6 Gold Barbs
1 Rubber Lipped Pleco

IMO, if you had issues before and your tank had been setup for a year, it had nothing to do with cycling issues unless you were way overstocked. It shouldn't matter how the cycle gets going....the end point is the same regardless. There are many things that can wipe out a tank full of fish.

You didn't empty the tank? If you didn't, your tank is still cycled and what you're seeing is how ammonia gets processed. It never restarted. Adding ammonia is pointless unless you think you'll keep it without fish for an extended period. There is no need to reset.

What filtration are you running?

No, it wasn't overstocked. I had 5 fish and a pleco. I have a feeling that the problem came from the previous year when I bought the tank and filled it with water, let it sit for a week then added community fish. I think it never cycled from day 1, because I always had trouble with my readings. But, at no time was the tank overstocked.

Just today I've gotten four different solutions from 4 different people. It's hard to know which way to go. Two different solutions from both my local pet stores and two different solutions from online.

I guess I have to base what I do on which solution sounds most reasonable to me. Thankfully I don't have fish in the tank and nothings getting harmed. I just have to decide what to do.

Thanks for the advice, I really do appreciate people taking the time to listen and to give their advice.

__________________
Fish keeping is like golfing; hopelessly seeking elusive perfection.
_______________
55 gal freshwater
2 Angels
1 Pearl Gourami
2 Tiger Barbs
2 Albino Barbs
2 Green Barbs
6 Gold Barbs
1 Rubber Lipped Pleco

I'm not sure it's possible for a tank to "never cycle" over that long a time period if you've got fish in it. If your ammonia decreases without water changes, you're at least partway cycled. Same deal if you're getting any nitrates. It sounds like, if you are in fact going through a new cycle, you might still be a little low on the bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrite, but not those that do nitrite to nitrate. But, like jrman said, if you have been keeping the tank continuously, you almost certainly cycled a looong time ago.

If I were you, I'd keep adding ammonia for a while and see what happens - maybe enough to get it up to 1-3 ppm, dosed every other day, and test ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate every day. When, 24 hours after dosing, you have 0 ammonia and nitrites but some measurable nitrates, you're good.

Also, if you haven't done this before, you should try preparing some new water for the tank however you normally do that, and right before you'd normally put it in, also test it. That way you know what you're introducing when you do add/replace water and can take that into account.

I did test my tap water a while back when I had fish. It had good readings. I know they sometimes change after we have a ton of rain or they're working on the lines.

I am tempted to add a bit more ammonia and see what happens. I don't want to make the same mistakes as before, it was a very frustrating time to see high readings and they wouldn't change even after a big water change. I stressed myself out worrying about the poor fish that I liked so much.

__________________
Fish keeping is like golfing; hopelessly seeking elusive perfection.
_______________
55 gal freshwater
2 Angels
1 Pearl Gourami
2 Tiger Barbs
2 Albino Barbs
2 Green Barbs
6 Gold Barbs
1 Rubber Lipped Pleco

That's weird, and two possibilities come to mind (though I'm sure there are others):
-a problem with the test kit or procedure, so you weren't getting accurate readings
or
-high enough levels in your tap water of whatever wasn't decreasing, that with water changes you were essentially just trading contaminated water for other contaminated water.

Either way, very frustrating indeed.

I think I'm getting a headache. :o(

__________________
Fish keeping is like golfing; hopelessly seeking elusive perfection.
_______________
55 gal freshwater
2 Angels
1 Pearl Gourami
2 Tiger Barbs
2 Albino Barbs
2 Green Barbs
6 Gold Barbs
1 Rubber Lipped Pleco

Don't listen to your local stores. Most don't know what they are talking about. At least in most cases online will come from people with at least some experience. Store personnel have experience in sales, that's it.

You can add ammonia again if you like...your tank has cycled or that ammonia wouldn't be going away like it is. It would stay. When the fish were there, they were the source of ammonia. It is not possible to go that long without the tank going through the nitrogen cycle.

Like I said, unless you emptied it completely and "really" started all over, your tank is cycled.

What filter are you using? Maybe it is not adequate?

The nitrogen cycle is a natural process so it happens just by having fish (or other ammonia source) in a tank so I see no reason why your tank would not be cycled unless you drained and restarted the tank.

If you had persistent problems before I think you need to try and identify the problem. I agree, don't go by what you are told at a fish store. There are some very experienced people on here that can help you work out what the problem has been but I think you need to give a little more information. To start with what kind of filter do you have?

You all have valid points that make sense. I decided to add more ammonia to the tank. I also threw in some plant food as the poor things are looking a little worse for wear.

I took readings this morning before I added ammonia. My ammonia was .5 my ph is 6.0 (It's always 6.0), my nitrite is 0 and my nitrate is in the 40-80 range.

I added some ammonia (about 1/4 c) and I'll test it tonight when I get home from work.

The test kit companies are making money off me this month.

Would it be beneficial or a waste of time to throw in some Prime at this point?

__________________
Fish keeping is like golfing; hopelessly seeking elusive perfection.
_______________
55 gal freshwater
2 Angels
1 Pearl Gourami
2 Tiger Barbs
2 Albino Barbs
2 Green Barbs
6 Gold Barbs
1 Rubber Lipped Pleco

Oh right, the filter. I have a Rena Filstar xP. I can't remember the size, I know it's not the smallest, I wanted to make sure I had more than enough power for my 55 gal aquarium.

__________________
Fish keeping is like golfing; hopelessly seeking elusive perfection.
_______________
55 gal freshwater
2 Angels
1 Pearl Gourami
2 Tiger Barbs
2 Albino Barbs
2 Green Barbs
6 Gold Barbs
1 Rubber Lipped Pleco

Are the trays in the filter completely full of media?

You should use Prime any time you add new water. Also remember that chlorine will kill your beneficial bacteria. Just something to think about if you are doing filter maintenance - all water used to rinse/clean should be new "treated" water or tank water you removed.

Yes jrman 83 the trays are full of media. And, yes we used to rinse the filters with tank water. I used to use (and still will once I get fish again) use Prime with every water change. I have Flourish for my plants, but I don't like it as much as the other brand I used to use - can't remember what it was now.

I tested my water when I came home tonight, I'd added ammonia this morning. Wow the reading is about 4.0ppm. The nitrite is 0 and the nitrate is looking like 40. I think I added too much ammonia.

I wonder if I'm just not meant to keep fish... I seem to keep messing it up, even when I do nothing. Boy this is frustrating.

__________________
Fish keeping is like golfing; hopelessly seeking elusive perfection.
_______________
55 gal freshwater
2 Angels
1 Pearl Gourami
2 Tiger Barbs
2 Albino Barbs
2 Green Barbs
6 Gold Barbs
1 Rubber Lipped Pleco

The ammonia will drop. Don't worry.

In any fish tank Nitrates will continue to rise until Biological activity stops or a water change is made. Ammonia and Nitrite levels will continue to drop until more Ammonia is added. Try adding some plants and see if that helps. Cycling with Ammonia will always produce Ammonia and Nitrite spikes.

I have five or six plants in my tank. Took readings this morning. The ammonia is 8.0, nitrites 0, nitrates 80.

__________________
Fish keeping is like golfing; hopelessly seeking elusive perfection.
_______________
55 gal freshwater
2 Angels
1 Pearl Gourami
2 Tiger Barbs
2 Albino Barbs
2 Green Barbs
6 Gold Barbs
1 Rubber Lipped Pleco

If it is that high, I would do a 50% water change. It will burn your plants, if not kill them. If you want to add ammonia to your tank (for future ref), you have to add in tsps, add 1tsp and test, add another and test again, and so on....once you reach the desired ammonia level you stop and remember how much it was and dose that amount everyday - if you were doing a fishless cycle.

I've done two water changes and the readings are now ammonia .50, nitrites 0 and nitrates 10. I'll do one more water change tomorrow and see where it goes from there.

__________________
Fish keeping is like golfing; hopelessly seeking elusive perfection.
_______________
55 gal freshwater
2 Angels
1 Pearl Gourami
2 Tiger Barbs
2 Albino Barbs
2 Green Barbs
6 Gold Barbs
1 Rubber Lipped Pleco