Fishless cycle woes

nerdyguy83

nerdyguy83

AC Members
May 11, 2006
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Erie, PA, US
I am cycling a 40 gallon. It is cycling ammonia well, but it seems stuck on nitrites. While there is ammonia in the tank, nitrites jump into the 5+ppm range, and once the ammonia is gone, the nitrites fall to around 2ppm. I can leave the tank over night with no ammonia and the 2ppm nitrites and there will be no difference in the readings the following morning. Nitrites can go from 5ppm to 2ppm in a few hours when ammonia is in the water, but it won't move after it is gone. Are the two connected somehow?
 
I have a similar issue, My nitrites keep spiking, what can i do to lower them and keep them low
 
how long have you been out of the ammonia portion of it? the nitrite phase can often last a few weeks, so unless it's been like a month I would advise to just be patient and keep doing what you've been doing.

BTW, the reason you're seeing the nitrite spike when you dose extra ammonia is your ammonia eating bacteria have more food (the ammonia), and thus more waste (the nitrites). eventually your young colony of nitrite eaters catches up and it goes down a little, but there is apparently not enough yet to handle the whole load of nitrites.
 
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My tank is already cycled and i have fish in it....see signature.... I cannot seem to keep nitrites under control, am I over stocked?
 
nerdy: just give it time.

rw: have you cleaned out your filter? I have gotten nitrite spkies when biological matter - like blood worms - have built up in the filter. Are the spikes on all the tanks, or just one? They don't seem overstocked. Do they stay high after a large water change?
 
Just in the 55 gallon, I did a 50% water change yesterday, and they are still high, I am going to do another today, it looks as if several water changes may be necessary to eliminate this issue.
 
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