Nitirite Sky rocketing, and cycle is not ending

[fishrfreinds]

This is my 8th week cycling now and the Nitirites are still going up. Its been a while since i started cycling my tank the aminnioa 0.00 ppm
Nitrite are off the chart. With my test kit its says that 5.0 ppm. after this has been going on so long i went down to my lovely LFS and got it tested there too, and found that the nitrite were so high the were off the chart. Nitirate is at a stable 60 ppm the pass two weeks. The guy at the LFS said to do a water change. Should i do the 50% water change or just a 10 gallons. i have a 55 gallon tank.

 

[Scottm]

I would guess that your large amount of nitrite and nitrate is inhibiting your cycle somehow. You could try a water change, I would do a large one myself b/c I can't see 10 gallons as being enough of a reduction.

 

[melosu58]

I would do a couple 25% PWC.And see how that does. I believe a couple would be better than 1 big one.

 

[dscount]

What's in the Tank now?

What kind of equipment or items do you have in use? Anything older / used that's been in storage or something like that. Maybe some sort of tubing reused or something that could be generating such a mess?

What's your water process for refill look like? Tap? Filter? RO?

Just looking for that last rock to turn over. Anything look nasty in the tank?

 

[tecwzrd]

Just curious but is this a converted fw to sw tank?

 

[fishrfreinds]

Nope always been a salt water its got "dead rock" in it that ive uised before and have cleaned. After i do the water change should i wait 2 more weeks then put stuff in it. the fliter is 350 w/ bio wheels removed. the water is Ro i got form a pet store. the heater is old no tubing.

 

[Brenden]

Something major is rotting to cause your levels to go that high.

 

[dscount]

I'd take at look at the filters (Sounds like nothing there). Then look hard at that "Dead Rock". Where did it come from? Maybe yank it out and rinse very heavy in a bucket of salt water for a while. Then PWC the tank to see what you get. I gotta agree with Brenden. Something is wasting away big time and or falling apart. Anything rubber like or just plain old in the tank that could be falling apart? (plastic stuff, wood, nasty mold, icky rock, etc)

What does your substrate look like? Did you reuse old rock, gravel, sand or what not? Was it rinsed well before reuse? IE: did it sit in a buck of salt water a while or something. If it's the painted rocks did you rinse in really HOT water by any chance?

 

[fishrfreinds]

The only thing that rotted in there was to shrimp thats it. The "dead rock" im reffering to is live rock but i gave up on salt water 2 year ago. Ive used it before with no problem. I did have the bio wheels on but since about week six i took them off. Bought some cured live rock to help it cycle yesterday.

 

[fishrfreinds]

it was sugar sand that was bleach and rinse well (as much as you can with sand) i have been replace the cartridge during this too. 3 times so far. i purchesd the filter right after i started the tank. algea getting really bad i havent turn on the lights for a week now. (except the moonlights have been on all the time). There nothing that is rottening in the tank im sure.

 

[fishrfreinds]

so guess all start getting some Ro water (LFS only gives out five gallons a day ) and do the perscribe 25% water change hope in time it will complete. if there any more advice i could sure use it.

 

[fishrfreinds]

i did a 25% water change and tested the water and its still really high but a small impovement.

What about carbon?

could i activaite some extra carbon that would problably clear it up? last night i couldnt sleep so i tried to see how it would help if i place carbon in my tank. so i took 2 test tubes filled them up with aquarium water and tested one. It was really high (of course ). Then i took the other one a place a pinch of cardon in it. then this afternoon i test it and found that it had reduce to .25 nitrite. So should i use carbon? i know it would suck up the trace stuff too. please respond.

 

[melosu58]

I think it would be a good idea. keep up with the PWC to replenish your trace .

 

[fishrfreinds]

Last night i siphon out 3/4 of the sand and found the problem. The sand was very foul dark brownish yellowish and it smelt really bad (I burned some inscest, Im sure my parents were wondering about me ). i rinse that well with some fresh water. The water is a lot cleaner maybe that cause of the carbon. And by doing this i had to do a water change which was 25%. so hopefully im on the road to recovery.

thanks for the help.