nitrite

[Dominick75]

ok its been 3 almost 4 weeks since i started my sw tank. 60 gallon,60pds live sand 45 pd live rock an emporer400 and a maxijet1200 ph. amonia is 0,nitrite is between 2 and 5 from looking at the color nitrates are at 10 its been like this for 2 weeks its like it stalled out.is it normal?

 

[Ingy]

Yeah, it happens. Did you dose ammonia? You are getting the nitrite eating baccteria as your nitrates are climbing.

 

[Dominick75]

i started it with the bacteria stuff from api forget the name,and put in lil fishfood everyday but i never seen an amonia spike and i check almost everyday

 

[spoonman]

I would get some pure ammonia and dose to 4ppm and test to see what happens. I like to dose pure ammonia so that you can control the levels.

 

[Ingy]

The bacteria booster adds some of the bacteria to the water coloum. Mostly what they do is eat any ammonia present, and then die. A small amount will make it to the rocks and colonize. Obviously some did as they are eating the small amount of ammonia you are adding and prodicing nitrites. No bigee. Personally I don't like using flake food to be the ammonia source as it also normally contains phosphates ( "to enhance fish colour"). The phosphates will start to build up in the tank.
Ammonia dosing is the best way to do a proper and strong cycle. You're already partway there and I would agree you should (re?)consider it. It will definately tell you if you have a strong bacteria colony.

 

[Dominick75]

thank you ill pick up some amonia w no scents just plain amonia and put a couple drops a day in...

 

[TheTodd]

Ammonia has to be the kind that when you shake it up, it doesn't bubble.

 

[Ingy]

It will take more than a couple drops.
60 gal = 200L (subtracted a bit for rocks)
200 L = 200,000 mL
1 ppm = 0.2 mL
4 ppm = 0.8 mL of pure ammonia
Of course ammonia is a gas at room temp/pressure so it is dissolved into a solution at around 10-15%

0.8 / 15% = 5mL or 1 tsp

So add about 1 tsp of a 15% ammonia solution and see how long it takes to be converted into nitrites. Don't worry if nitrites gets up to 10 ppm it won't hurt the bacteria.

You are done when the 4ppm ammonia is converted into nitrate within 24 hours