cycling - high nitrite and nitrate?

[root81]

My tank is a 10 gal with 3 Cherry Barbs. Stage 1 of the cycling went well, and ammonia is now at 0, and never reached any critical problems. I did 1 water change of 10% during the 8 days it took for stage 1.

Saturday morning I tested the tank and Nitrite was at about 1.8ppm and nitrate was registering 50ppm so I did a 20% change immediatly and then another 10% change later in the morning, and rinsed the filter media. Checked again at noon and it was still high, so I did another 20% change, and another 10% in the evening.

Sunday was pretty much a repeat, having 1.8ppm nitrite and 50ppm nitrate. changed about 60% of the water during the day. I removed rocks that I had added just in case they were leaching, which I doubt since during the first week my nitrite and nitrate were both 0

This morning, I got the same readings again, 1.8ppm nitrite and 50ppm nitrate, and did a 30% change before leaving for work.

I tested my tap water (coming from a well) and had 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite and 0 nitrate.

Are these readings normal for a tank cycling with 3 cherry barbs? they mesure in at about 1.5" each.

I should have some Java Ferns coming in today or tomorrow, and hope these will help deal with the nitrite and nitrate levels. I'm a little concerned because I noticed that the gills were redish this morning, but faded to their regular color shortly after the water change.

Thanks for any help.

[rajseth]

An ancillary point -
I have read that the commonly available nitrate tests first convert nitrates to nitrites, and then test for nitrites. So, at least while you have nitrites, dont bother testing for nitrates.

[TKOS]

After the larghe changes the nitrite still reads the same? Do you test immediately following a 20-30% water change?

Nitrite consuming bacteria are much slower growers than ammonia consuming ones. So it will take longer than the initial part of the cycling process.

[root81]

rajseth, thats for that info. I didn't know that the nitrate test included the nitrites.

tkos, I usually give it 15 minutes or so before I test again, and the tests still show nitrite/nitrate but not in high quantites.

Guess I'll just be busy changing water for a while