High Nitrites- Fishless Cycle

HI everyone, I'm currently doing a fishless cycle will be going into the seventh week soon. I've been told a lot of different information and i'm unsure what to do. My questions are
1) I'm getting high nitrites reading that will only go down with large water changes. So not sure where I am in the cycle.
2) Do I continue to dose ammonia daily or wait till my nitrites to drop then dose ammonia?
3) What should I do going forward? as I would like to get my fish soon.

My setup
30L
Sponge filter
Temp set at 28 degrees
Two swords

 

Dont do a water change to remove Nitites, allow Nitrates to develop to remove them. Then do water changes to remove nitrates

 

Dont do a water change to remove Nitites, allow Nitrates to develop to remove them. Then do water changes to remove nitrates

I already have nitrates my reading this morning was 40ppm.

 

If you have nitrates don't change the water and they will take care of your nitrites, just give it time.

 

Nitrates do not remove nitrites. Nitrites get converted into nitrates by the nitrite converting bacteria.

 

If you add ammonia and it goes back to zero within 24 hours and you are registering both high nitrites and nitrates I have a feeling this tank is actually cycled but needs to be brought back into balance by doing water changes.

I know a lot of folks say just wait it out and eventually it might finish. I say why wait when you already have everything you need for a complete cycle.

I would go ahead and do a 50% or more water change today and another one tomorrow. Go ahead and add ammonia up to no more than 1ppm after the water change. Check your numbers after each water change and if the numbers are still high do another big water change.

I know everyone including me say it takes a lot of patience but even mine would be wearing thin after almost 7 weeks.

 

If you add ammonia and it goes back to zero within 24 hours and you are registering both high nitrites and nitrates I have a feeling this tank is actually cycled but needs to be brought back into balance by doing water changes.

I know a lot of folks say just wait it out and eventually it might finish. I say why wait when you already have everything you need for a complete cycle.

I would go ahead and do a 50% or more water change today and another one tomorrow. Go ahead and add ammonia up to no more than 1ppm after the water change. Check your numbers after each water change and if the numbers are still high do another big water change.

I know everyone including me say it takes a lot of patience but even mine would be wearing thin after almost 7 weeks.

Thanks, I'll give this a shot.

 

Thanks, I'll give this a shot.

Please let me know how it turns out.

 

If you add ammonia and it goes back to zero within 24 hours and you are registering both high nitrites and nitrates I have a feeling this tank is actually cycled but needs to be brought back into balance by doing water changes.

I know a lot of folks say just wait it out and eventually it might finish. I say why wait when you already have everything you need for a complete cycle.

I would go ahead and do a 50% or more water change today and another one tomorrow. Go ahead and add ammonia up to no more than 1ppm after the water change. Check your numbers after each water change and if the numbers are still high do another big water change.

I know everyone including me say it takes a lot of patience but even mine would be wearing thin after almost 7 weeks.

Mine did the same thing and Mattgirl said 'why don't you just do a big water change? Your tank might already be cycled'. I did two 75% back to back water changes. Waited until next day to test and my nitrites were 0 and my nitrates were down from off the chart to 40! Mattgirl is right, if your ammonia has been 0 awhile and NO2/NO3 are staying high, just do some giant water changes. Might be that your NOB are maxed out and just can't catch up. Worked for me!

 

Thank you Momgoose56 I am really happy that you did it and found that your cycle really was already done and just needed a jump start.

 

Mine did the same thing and Mattgirl said 'why don't you just do a big water change? Your tank might already be cycled'. I did two 75% back to back water changes. Waited until next day to test and my nitrites were 0 and my nitrates were down from off the chart to 40! Mattgirl is right, if your ammonia has been 0 awhile and NO2/NO3 are staying high, just do some giant water changes. Might be that your NOB are maxed out and just can't catch up. Worked for me!

Hopefully, it's the same with my aquarium and some large water changes will sort it out. These are my results from today I did a 70% water change and will retest tomorrow.

 

So after two back to back 70% water changes. This is my reading as you can tell the nitrites didn't go down. Unsure what to do next.

 

Have you run the nitrite and nitrate tests on your tap water? If you have and there are none then this is telling us that both of them were and still are sky high. You can test this out by doing dilution tests.

I would put 1ml of tank water and 4mls of tap water in the test tube and run the tests on that mixture. This test should tell you about how high both of them really are.

 

Yes tap water readings are 0ppm for both nitrite and nitrate. I will do the dilution test and see what the results are.

Here are the dilution test results.

 

Looks like you need to do an 80% water change.

Seriously, I would continue to do 50%+ water changes every other day while still dosing ammonia.

 

Looks like you need to do an 80% water change.
Seriously, I would continue to do 50%+ water changes every other day while still dosing ammonia.

So do an 80% water change than 50% every second day while dosing ammonia?

 

I was kinda joking about the 80% since that test looked good. Sorry.

I would follow Mattgirl’s advice.

Do a 50%, test the next day and go from there.

I have seen 2 things in your situation stall a cycle.

Extreme nitrates, which you have. And a lack of minerals in the water because the growing beneficial bacteria has consumed them.

In both cases, water changes correct this.

You’ve done water changes so your mineral levels should be good.

But you want those nitrates under 80ppm to finish your cycle.

But keep dosing ammonia.

 

Thank you for stepping in Hunter1

Those dilution test are telling us that it is just a matter of water changes to get this cycle moving along. It was just so overwhelmed with nitrites and nitrates it couldn't process them fast enough so it stalled.

If you can get them down to where you will get the same readings as your dilution tests it should be able to complete its job pretty quick.

 

Thank you for stepping in Hunter1

Those dilution test are telling us that it is just a matter of water changes to get this cycle moving along. It was just so overwhelmed with nitrites and nitrates it couldn't process them fast enough so it stalled.

If you can get them down to where you will get the same readings as your dilution tests it should be able to complete its job pretty quick.

Thanks that makes sense I will continue with the water changes.

These are the results from this morning. Nitrates are getting better but nitrites are still high.

 

These are the results from this morning. Nitrates are getting better but nitrites are still high.
View attachment 526099

I didn't have my tank up and running for about 6 years so when I decided to set it back up 3 years ago I had to start from scratch. When my nitrites went up they went from none to off the chart almost over night. Since I was doing a fish in cycle it was critical that I get them down as quickly as possible. It took doing a 30% water change daily for 5 days to drop them to zero.

I would do one more water change to get the nitrates a bit lower. After that you could continue doing water changes but since this is a fishless cycle you could just give the nitrites time to go down on their own now that you will have gotten them down to a manageable level. I feel sure you have gotten this cycle back on track and it is now just a matter of time.

 

I agree.

Reduce the nitrites with a water change.

 

I've done six back to back large water changes and I still can't get the nitrite level to drop.

 

You are probably desperate at this point.

This suggestion may sound weird but try a bottle of TetraSafeStart poured directly into your filter.

Seems it contains more of the bacteria that converts nitrites to nitrates, then ammonia or nitrites.

Can’t hurt. And that is what I would do in your situation.

 

I sure am will be going on eight weeks soon. I just want to get my fish. Unfourntately we can't get TetraSafeStart here in Australia closes I've got is Seachem Stability which I added for a week when I first started the tank and every time I do a water change.

 

I've done six back to back large water changes and I still can't get the nitrite level to drop.

I can't remember if I have already asked and you have answered but have you run the nitrite test on your source water? How high are the nitrites in the tank now?

when something like this happens I often wonder if there is something else in our source water that can throw our tests off or maybe the test we have has a problem of some kind. Can you by any chance take some of your water to a fish store and have them run the tests on it?

 

Yes, you did and the tap water has 0 nitrite in it. I did think that at first when I had the same problem with ammonia but I took my water to be tested at my local fish store and they also got the same results so I don't think there's anything wrong with my test kit (that was 5 weeks ago). Here are the test results from today.

 

How much ammonia are you processing daily?

 

How much ammonia are you processing daily?

2ppm of ammonia

 

2ppm of ammonia

You may want to go down to 1ppm or just dose every other day. Water changes should be lowering both your nitrites and your nitrates but it doesn't seem to be doing it.

By cutting down on the amount of ammonia (food for the bacteria) hopefully it will give the nitrites time to complete its job and will slow down the accumulation of nitrates.

 

Sorry, should have been clearer my tap water has 1ppm of ammonia in it so I've been adding 1ppm to make it go up to 2ppm and I've been skipping days as advice from another source.

 

Sorry, should have been clearer my tap water has 1ppm of ammonia in it so I've been adding 1ppm to make it go up to 2ppm and I've been skipping days as advice from another source.

I see. I really don't understand why the water changes aren't lowering the nitrites or nitrates. I really can't think of any other way to get them down. Maybe don't add any ammonia at all for a few days?. or at this point I would be very tempted to do a 90% water change and go from there.

 

I did a 90% water change and still nothing really unsure on what’s going on.

 

I did a 90% water change and still nothing really unsure on what’s going on.

What are your exact numbers after the water change? ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and PH. I read and reply to a lot of threads so get confused as to what is happening in which tank and what has been done and not done....what questions have been asked and answered so please help me out. Have you run all of the tests on your source water? If so can you post the numbers? Are you using tap water or water from somewhere else?

Hopefully the answers to these questions will help me help you.

 

What are your exact numbers after the water change? ammonia, nitrites, nitrates and PH. I read and reply to a lot of threads so get confused as to what is happening in which tank and what has been done and not done....what questions have been asked and answered so please help me out. Have you run all of the tests on your source water? If so can you post the numbers? Are you using tap water or water from somewhere else?

Hopefully the answers to these questions will help me help you.

I used tap water for my aquarium.

Aquarium readings are
Ph- 7.4
Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite- 1ppm
Nitrate- 20ppm

Tap water readings are
Ph- 7.4
Ammonia- 1ppm
Nitrite- 0ppm
Nitrate- 0ppm

1st pic is aquarium results and 2nd picture is tap water results.

 

Looks like you might need to do the low level pH?

That first pic is your tank immediately after a 90% water change? And you're no longer adding ammonia?

 

I used tap water for my aquarium.

Aquarium readings are
Ph- 7.4
Ammonia- 0ppm
Nitrite- 1ppm
Nitrate- 20ppm

Tap water readings are
Ph- 7.4
Ammonia- 1ppm
Nitrite- 0ppm
Nitrate- 0ppm

1st pic is aquarium results and 2nd picture is tap water results.

View attachment 527765 View attachment 527766

I am not seeing any ammonia in your tank after the big water change and since you have 1ppm in your tap water that is telling me that this tank is cycled or very very close to it.

Did you add any extra ammonia after the big water change? If not then the higher than I would have expected nitrate reading has me scratching my head too. It is possible though that your nitrates were off the chart before the 90% water change so 10% of it was still there. So that number can kinda be accounted for. Not completely but kinda.

Like you I just can't for the life of me figure out why you are still getting that nitrite reading though. When you ran the nitrite test on your source water did it act the same way as it was for your tank water? Meaning turning dark purple before shaking and then getting lighter?

I know you must have the patience of a saint but if you have just a little bit more I suggest now that the cycle has consumed the ammonia in your tap water go ahead and add enough to get it up to no more than 1ppm. Only add that amount of ammonia every other day.

Don't do any more water changes for at least a week or sooner if the nitrites drop to zero. Hopefully this will give the nitrites time to complete their job and then just go away.

 

That first pic is your tank immediately after a 90% water change? And you're no longer adding ammonia?

No that picture is 24 hours after the 90% water change

I am not seeing any ammonia in your tank after the big water change and since you have 1ppm in your tap water that is telling me that this tank is cycled or very very close to it.

Did you add any extra ammonia after the big water change? If not then the higher than I would have expected nitrate reading has me scratching my head too. It is possible though that your nitrates were off the chart before the 90% water change so 10% of it was still there. So that number can kinda be accounted for. Not completely but kinda.

Like you I just can't for the life of me figure out why you are still getting that nitrite reading though. When you ran the nitrite test on your source water did it act the same way as it was for your tank water? Meaning turning dark purple before shaking and then getting lighter?

I know you must have the patience of a saint but if you have just a little bit more I suggest now that the cycle has consumed the ammonia in your tap water go ahead and add enough to get it up to no more than 1ppm. Only add that amount of ammonia every other day.

Don't do any more water changes for at least a week or sooner if the nitrites drop to zero. Hopefully this will give the nitrites time to complete their job and then just go away.

My tank has been processing ammonia to a reading of 0ppm for weeks just can't get the same result for the nitrite for some strange reason.

No didn't add any extra ammonia after the big water change have only added 1ppm today after the advice from you. Possibly but after 6 large back to back water changes, you would think there would have been a drop.

No the nitrite test on the tap water stays blue the whole time never turning purple and on the aquarium, it starts out blue then turns purple.

Alright, I'll give that a go thanks so much for your help so far

 

I don't think we have talked about what kind of filter you are using. We seem to be overlooking something. What kind of filter are you running? what kind of decorations do you have in there?

Maybe something in the tank is mimicking nitrites and fooling your tests or is leaching nitrites and/or nitrates. It is very unusual for it to take this long. As you already know, the ammonia is being consumed and you are getting high nitrates. It just isn't making any kind of sense to still be seeing these high nitrites. All of the water changes should be getting your nitrates down to barely readable too yet they still look to be in the red.

If allowing this to run a few more days with no change in the nitrite level while doing no more water changes we may have to start thinking outside the box and try to figure out why the nitrite eating bacteria isn't working as it should.

 

I don't think we have talked about what kind of filter you are using. We seem to be overlooking something. What kind of filter are you running? what kind of decorations do you have in there?

Maybe something in the tank is mimicking nitrites and fooling your tests or is leaching nitrites and/or nitrates. It is very unusual for it to take this long. As you already know, the ammonia is being consumed and you are getting high nitrates. It just isn't making any kind of sense to still be seeing these high nitrites. All of the water changes should be getting your nitrates down to barely readable too yet they still look to be in the red.

If allowing this to run a few more days with no change in the nitrite level while doing no more water changes we may have to start thinking outside the box and try to figure out why the nitrite eating bacteria isn't working as it should.

I have a sponge filter run by an air pump, a Buddha statue, two small Balinese lanterns, 2 sword plants, gravel and a heater. It's completely thrown me off to as to why the nitrite and nitrates levels won't drop. The nitrates levels do look a bit red in the photo but I promise in person it is are orange.

 

I have a sponge filter run by an air pump, a Buddha statue, two small Balinese lanterns, 2 sword plants, gravel and a heater. It's completely thrown me off to as to why the nitrite and nitrates levels won't drop. The nitrates levels do look a bit red in the photo but I promise in person it is are orange.

I can't see anything there that would be causing what we are seeing. Different monitors can change colors so it is good that you are seeing orange for nitrates.

I guess for now it is still a waiting game.