discups,
I'm curious about your tank's starting point. Was it pristine, without bio-media from an established filter, or without SafeStart? Also, how much ammonia were you dosing?
I'd recommend adding a double dose of Safe Start. It can't hurt and might give your BB culture a boost.
You started with a pristine tank, right? You added some flake food initially, and once ammonia spiked (around 4ppm after a week), you added TSS. Ammonia and nitrite dropped to zero after another week or 10 days, then you introduced your fish.
Nitrogen cycle won't start
Re: Nitrogen cycle won't start
I completely agree with CycleFan's point - gravel is indeed where the majority of beneficial bacteria (BB) resides. This thread is a perfect example of what happens when you remove the substrate and go barebottom, even with a mature filter. I've seen it time and time again - a huge ammonia spike and a mini cycle. It's not just about the filter's ability to handle the bioload, but also about the loss of BB in the gravel.
Think of it like a ecosystem - the gravel is like a forest, teeming with life, while the filter is like a smaller, more limited environment. When you remove the gravel, you're essentially removing the forest, leaving the filter to struggle to keep up. It's no wonder that the cycle is taking so long to recover. It's not just a matter of adding more bio-media or using a different filter, but also about understanding the delicate balance of the aquarium's ecosystem.
Think of it like a ecosystem - the gravel is like a forest, teeming with life, while the filter is like a smaller, more limited environment. When you remove the gravel, you're essentially removing the forest, leaving the filter to struggle to keep up. It's no wonder that the cycle is taking so long to recover. It's not just a matter of adding more bio-media or using a different filter, but also about understanding the delicate balance of the aquarium's ecosystem.
Re: Nitrogen cycle won't start
Don't worry about the situation, just do 90% daily water changes for a month or two and your discus will be fine. I know it's easier said than done, but it'll fix your discus for sure. Good luck with that.
By the way, having just 3 discus isn't ideal, you should've bought at least 6 of them. If you can get 3 more from the same breeder and same tank/batch, it's worth considering for long-term success with discus.
By the way, having just 3 discus isn't ideal, you should've bought at least 6 of them. If you can get 3 more from the same breeder and same tank/batch, it's worth considering for long-term success with discus.
Re: Nitrogen cycle won't start
Re: Nitrogen cycle won't start
I'm not buying into the idea that removing substrate will always lead to a huge ammonia spike. I've done it myself, and it worked out just fine. I had gravel in my tank for about a month, then decided to switch to bare bottom. I pulled out all the gravel at once, and didn't experience any issues. My tank has two Ehiem canisters, each rated for 160 gallons, and it's a 150-gallon tank. Maybe that's why I didn't see the spike you're talking about. I'm not saying it can't happen, but I don't think it's a 100% certainty.
I'm not buying into the idea that removing substrate will always lead to a huge ammonia spike. I've done it myself, and it worked out just fine. I had gravel in my tank for about a month, then decided to switch to bare bottom. I pulled out all the gravel at once, and didn't experience any issues. My tank has two Ehiem canisters, each rated for 160 gallons, and it's a 150-gallon tank. Maybe that's why I didn't see the spike you're talking about. I'm not saying it can't happen, but I don't think it's a 100% certainty.
Re: Nitrogen cycle won't start
Re: Nitrogen cycle won't start
Originally posted by Wind
I am curious to know if you started with a pristine tank, that is, without any bio-media from an established filter, or without SafeStart? Also, to what level were you dosing the ammonia?
I would go ahead and add a double dose of Safe Start. It can't hurt, and it might accelerate the BB culture.
Actually, I started with a pristine tank and added some flake food to kickstart the cycle. I didn't add any ammonia initially, just relied on the flake food to break down and produce ammonia. It took almost a week for the ammonia to spike to 4ppm, then I added TSS to help the cycle along.
Originally posted by Wind
I am curious to know if you started with a pristine tank, that is, without any bio-media from an established filter, or without SafeStart? Also, to what level were you dosing the ammonia?
I would go ahead and add a double dose of Safe Start. It can't hurt, and it might accelerate the BB culture.
Actually, I started with a pristine tank and added some flake food to kickstart the cycle. I didn't add any ammonia initially, just relied on the flake food to break down and produce ammonia. It took almost a week for the ammonia to spike to 4ppm, then I added TSS to help the cycle along.