Cycling appears to have stopped. Advice?

[Cezza91 0]

I've had my 180L tank set up for about 6 months now, with fish in it from the beginning. I took media out of an old filter that was semi-cycled (water showed no ammonia but low levels of nitrites) but it didn't make much of a difference in bump starting the cycling in my new tank.

Anyway, after a few days, I started getting results for Ammonia in the new tank. For about 5 months straight, the only results I was getting was low level ammonia, and nothing else. It refused to progress to the nitrite stage.

Now, for the past month or so, the ammonia readings have gone back down to 0, but i'm still not getting any readings for nitrites or nitrates.

Does anyone have any idea why this could be? I know it takes a while for a tank to cycle, but 6 months, and nothing!? Not even ammonia...?

I don't understand what's going on here, especially seeing as my tank is overstocked. (5 small goldfish in 180L tank) so surely, if anything, I should be getting high readings. All of my test kits are well in date, I only bought them about 8 months ago.

It's driving me insane now, because I just don't understand what's going on... Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[bodoba 2,980]

Alright what type of test kit are you using?

I'm going to ask you to give me some values so we can figure out what's going on

tap: pH

ammonia

nitrite

nitrate

tank: pH

ammonia

nitrite

nitrate

temperature

If you could also tell us what type of filter you are using and what it's LPH is that would be great too. All of the values will help us figure why it's been taking so long

[shakaho 6,312]

How much water are you changing and how often? I suspect your tank cycled long ago.

[Cezza91 0]

Im using api liquid testers.

Readings are:

Tap:

Ammonia - 0

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 0

Ph - dont know.

Tank:

Ammonia - 0

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 0

Ph - dont know.

Temp - 18 C

The filter is an EFX 200 aquamanta external power filter, and it says that the maximum flow rate is 800L/hr.

I did think that perhaps the tank is already cycled but ive never seen any readings for nitrite or nitrate. I change about 30 percent of the water weekly.

Also, i dont have a test kit for ph - should i get one if this could be causing a problem?

[bodoba 2,980]

pH would be good to know but it might not be causing the problem.

Do you have carbon in your filter?

Do you have any live plants that could absorb your nitrate?

How often do you feed your fish?

Your tank is probably cycled, just trying to find out where the nitrate is going. How do you do the nitrate test? If it's done incorrectly it will give you a reading of 0.

[Cezza91 0]

Ive had carbon in the filter but took it out a few days ago because someone suggested it may be slowing down my cycle. My tank has quite a lot of plants - 2 medium sized anubiad and a bunch of java ferna, as well as java moss. Could they be using all the nitrate?

As for the test for nitrates ive been doing it according to the instructions so im pretty sure im doing it right. Ill go and double check...

And i feed my fish twice a day every other day.

Edited January 21, 2013 by Cezza91