cycleing my tank

[craig_will2513]

hi all iv set up a new 50g tank.. to speed up the cycle i added a dead prawn. my anomia has spiked leveled and now is untracable. the nitrite is at 5ppm and the nitrate is about 40. is this right. do i need to wait till the nitrite is untracable. will that mean my tank is now cycled and now ready to recive fish and corals. the anomia and nitrite need to be 0 is that right and the nitrate will still be detectable is this right.

 

[rdnelson99]

I am a newbie myself but from what I have read here, you want to wait until your Ammonia and Nitrite have gone down to 0. At that point you will have high Nitrate. The only way to get the Nitrate down below 20 (which is recommended) is a PWC (partial water change). At least that is the way I understand it. I am at the same stage on my tank. As of last night my Ammonia and Nitrite were nearing 0 and my Nitrate was 160. I am thinking I am just about ready for the PWC. I hope someone corrects me if any of this is wrong.