Nitrite Reading - Fishless Cycle

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CoolHand

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Aug 16, 2011
Messages
36
Location
Ontario, Canada
I am using the API Nitrite test kit and got a reading tonight that was the closest shade to the .25 (purplish) reading but much darker and not really matching anything on the chart. Does this mean mine "party" has begun and my Nitrites are off the chart?

A little history is 2 days ago I had a .25 Nitrite reading and Ammonia 4.0. Today I had Ammonia like a 2 - 2.5 and then the weird Nitrite reading. I am about 7-8 days into my cycle (sry log book is upstairs).

Anyhow - from what I understand the Nitrates will go off the chart at some point right? Is it typical to have this happen over 2 days?

Thanks

CH...
 
Seems like a big jump compared to my current cycle
Cycle log

8/9 * ammonia dosed to 4.0, trite 0, trate 0, ph 8
8/10 ammonia 4.0, trite 0
8/11 ammonia 4.0, trite 0
8/12 ammonia 4.0, trite .50
8/13 ammonia 4.0ish (slightly lighter), trite1.0
8/14 ammonia 2.0, trite 2.0
8/15 dosed ammonia 4.0, trite 5.0
8/16 ammonia 4.0, trite 5.0+
8/17 ammonia 2.0, trite 5.0+, trate 0, ph 8.0/7.8, dosed ammonia to 4.0
8/18 ammonia 2.0, trite 5.0+, trate 5.0, ph 8.0, dosed ammonia to 4.0
8/19 ammonia 2.0, trite 5.0+, trate 5.0, dosed ammonia 4.0
8/20 ammonia 2.0, trite 5.0+, trate 20.0, pwc 50%, dosed ammonia 4.0
8/21 ammonia 2.0, trite 5.0+, trate 5.0, dosed ammonia 4.0
8/22 ammonia 2.0, trite 5.0+, trate 40, dosed ammonia 4.0
8/23 ammonia 1.0, trite 5.0+, trate 80, dosed ammonia 4.0, ph 8.0 added ground .............flake (small pinch)

Keep checking daily and that's great you got such a jump. Do you have seed material? If you miss counted your drops you'll know tomorrow.
Good luck
P
 
Thanks for the note - the more I think about it the more I think I must have "buggered" the test. I'll test again tonight.

Cheers,

CH...
 
I am using the API Nitrite test kit and got a reading tonight that was the closest shade to the .25 (purplish) reading but much darker and not really matching anything on the chart. Does this mean mine "party" has begun and my Nitrites are off the chart?

A little history is 2 days ago I had a .25 Nitrite reading and Ammonia 4.0. Today I had Ammonia like a 2 - 2.5 and then the weird Nitrite reading. I am about 7-8 days into my cycle (sry log book is upstairs).

Anyhow - from what I understand the Nitrates will go off the chart at some point right? Is it typical to have this happen over 2 days?

Thanks

CH...

It is a bit soon to see nitrite, but it's possible. Have you used any seeded media? Have you used any bacterial starters? Have you tested your tap water for nitrite?

If it's a bluish-purple color then it's probably between 0 and 5, so .25 is probably right. Not off-chart by any means, but a detectable trace. Let's see what happens over the next few days; nitrites should theoretically start to increase and then you'll notice the colors match to the chart more (it'll become increasingly more purple).
 
No I didn't add any media as this is my first tank. I do now believe I botched the test the other day. I have recently purchased a 30 gallon tank for my first tank. So now I have a 5 Gallon - son's tank and my 30 gallon tank. Here is the stats on my 5 Gallon , you can see the Nitrite reading makes more sense now based on yesterdays test.

5 Gallon Fish Tank

17-Aug-2011
16:25 Ammonia 1.00
16:33 Added 5 drops of pure ammonia
21:11 Ammonia 2.00
21:16 Added 6 drops of pure ammonia
22:19 Ammonia2.00
22:27 Added 15 drops of pure ammonia
22:50 Ammonia 3.50

18-Aug-2011
16:51 Ammonia 3.00

19-Aug-2011
16:01 Ammonia 2.00
16:07 Nitrites 0.25 Added 20 drops of pure ammonia
16:36 Ammonia 4.00

20-Aug-2011
19:46 Ammonia 4.00
19:48 Nitrites 0.25

22-Aug-2011
12:56 Ammonia 3.50
12:57 Nitrites 0.25
12:58 Temperature 77.50

23-Aug-2011
22:03 Ammonia 3.00 Temperature 79.50
Nitrites off chart? I think this was a mis-test

24-Aug-2011
21:32 Ammonia 2.00 Nitrites 0.50
21:40 Nitrate 0.00 Temperature 79.50
 
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