Nitrates before Nitrites...?

[Hosewater]

We have been trying to fishless cycle a 30 gallon tank for a goldfish. Around week three we got some good donor tank material for starter bacteria. About a week after that we started getting readings that showed the Nitrates were climbing, but we were still getting a zero reading on the Nitrites. That is contrary to everything we read and the graphs we had seen.

Later we started getting Nitrite readings that climbed quickly. Now, at about week 5, it looks like the Nitrates are starting to decline but the Nitrites are still off the charts.

Questions: is there an explanation for the Nitrites and Nitrates being out of order? Is it a problem? And we seem to be stuck on high Nitrites with no movement for the better part of a week, should we take any steps to address that?

Our latest graph is attached (note that we did not test for anything other than ammonia for awhile).

 

[jayDC_90]

Nitrites are converted into nitrates by your benificial bacteria. So if your nitrates are incredibly high a 25-50% water change is needed. This will drop your nitrate level and help drop your nitrite level quicker because it will be easier for the bacteria to convert the nitrites to nitrates since the nitrate levels are no longer super high. After nitrites start dropping your nitrate level will rise. Then another water change is needed ... So on and so on... Untill your nitrites are low or gone. Also not over feeding and keeping any dead plan matter or excess food out of the tank will help

 

[jayDC_90]

Sorry for the running sentences and paragraphs . Trying to scarf down food while typing

 

[jayDC_90]

The reason your nitrates read high first was because the nitrites were already converted. Then when your converted nitrates hit a peak your nitrites rose because they couldn't be converted as quickly.