Nitrite - How long is this going to last?

[rhansme]

I've past the ammonia portion of the "cycle" and have been in the Nitrite phase now for about a week and a half. I have been doing pw changes around 40% due to the Nitrite build up. I lost 1 of my ciclhlids a couple of days ago, however the rest of the gang seems to be hanging in there. How long did your
Nitrite portion of the cycle last. I am using a new 55 gal stocked with 6 cichlids, 1 silver dollar, 4 barbed tetra's and a pleco. I am about a month into the cycle now.

 

[TomK2]

Well, I would think another week or two. The nitrite poisoning is the second punch of the new tank syndrome one-two knockout, so do your best to keep the nitrites low with PWC's. I have read of nitrite phases that are a bit shorter than the ammonia phase, and also heard of them being a bit longer too, so its hard to say with certainty.

 

[Bhunsucker]

rhansme
I just finished my 55gal cycle and the total time was about 7 weeks. Hang in there its almost done.

 

[greenmaji]

from what im reading it took you about 3 weeks to get past the NH3 faze of the cycle.. I would suspect it would take at least another 2-3 weeks for the NO2 to finish.. If your continuing to have problems lousing fish aquarium salt helps prevent NO2 poisoning..

 

[rhansme]

Thanks all.

 

[virus]

hmm ya shoulda started with less expensive fish

 

[rhansme]

NO .... I should have started with AA!

I bought the aquarium for my wife on our anniversary. Now I am its slave! However I must admit I am enjoying the learning process even if it is lethal to one of my lil buddies. Live and Learn I guess. Now I am thinking about bigger tanks and all that stuff. 8O I would like to group my cichlids in a tank here in my office and put together a nice planted tank with nice colorful (peaceful) fish in the living room for my wife.

 

[caudelfin]

My Nitrite part of the cycle last two or three times longer than the Ammonia part. I always change 50% of the water when the nitrite moves into the danger zone when I have fish in the tank. Once I changed 50% twice in one day, Once in the AM and again in the late PM. Never lowered the Nitrite level past the .5 ppm stage and it saved my fish. Now I do fishless cycling and still remove 50% of the water on days it reaches 1. 5 ppm of nitrite. It seems to cycle faster. It does not affect the bacteria at all, as there is always more nitrite than can be consumed by the bacteria. When the bacteria is not over whelmed with nitrite and in my tanks it seems the tank cycles faster. In my tanks when the the nitrite cycle stage leaves it goes fast. I read a high reading one morning, next morning I read a very low reading and the next morning nothing. That after day after endless days of high readings.
caudelfin

 

[rhansme]

The Nitrite level is now comming down nicely. I did a 50% wc today with the Nitrite level at .50 ppm. It took almost 2 days to reach that point after my last 50% wc. I am hoping that it will continue to decline and I can get into a routine of pwc's once a week instead of daily or more! The fish are doing just great and all seem happy and hungry.

 

[Bhunsucker]

Sounds like you are on the way to finishing up. Do you have Nitrates yet?

 

[rhansme]

I have been doing so many water changes the Nitrate's were not showing up very well. However I do see them starting to rise now. So I do think the tank is finishing up with the cycle and I can move into the maintenance mode. I will get some pictures up pretty soon. Those darn fish do not care to "pose"

 

[Bhunsucker]

Great job! Once mine cycled the first thing I did was take a 4 day break from PWC! I know what you are talking about!!

Yea those fish just want pose. Mine are camera shy.