Nitrites just keep spiking!

[Lady Cougrrr]

I think my nitrites are out of control! I read them (by using the dilution method) at around 19 ppm. At the time I was adding enough ammonia to bring it up to 2-4 ppm each time it dropped to 0.

I did several large water changes (using declorinated water) and finally brought the nitrites into a readable level of about 4 ppm. It's been staying that way for about a week, and I've only been adding enough ammonia to bring it to 1 ppm or less, hoping that wouldn't be too much.

But in the last 2 days, my nitrites have spiked again. They are now at 12 ppm. The nitrites are throwing off my nitrate test, causing it to zero out when I should have at least 5 ppm because that it what my tap water is.

I'm stumped! Should I be doing more large water changes, or will that just start this spike all over again like it did last time? I'm trying to locate a bacteria source for seeding my tank (my local fish stores were no help there), but there's got to be something I can do to finish this cycle even if I can't find bacteria. Please help!

 

[taylorodw]

How long has your tank been running?

I am new to this as well but I am under the impression that for the first few weeks, just let it roll and let the cycle take its course. I would also add more ammonia at a time.

It works like this: Bacteria change ammonia to nitrite, then other bacteria change nitrite to nitrate. If your tank doesn't have a consistent supply of ammonia to change into nitrite, then the bacteria that change nitrite to nitrate won't have a consistent food supply.

You want a lot of bacteria - so give them a lot of ammonia to feast on.

Edit: I see from your sig that your tank is fishless. So this advice stands.

 

[Sibley]

I just finished a fishless cycle (didn't have any seeding material) and it took me exactly 3 weeks.

I when my ammonia hit 0 I kept adding ammonia every day that would bring me to a 1ppm or 2ppm level. Then it would be back to 0 the next morning. I think you may not have quite enough ammonia in there.

My NitrItes were all over the place until they hit 0. And the day before they hit 0, my NitrAtes spike up to 20ppm. Before that NitrAtes were just below 10ppm. The day NitrItes his 0 my NitrAtes hit 40ppm.

I didn't do any partial water changes at all for the entire time. If you don't have fish you don't need to. Just let the tank run.

Seeding your tank: Have you tried the barter/trade forum or the regional forum and tried to connect with someone who has a used filter cartridge you can have?

 

[Sibley]

After reading you post again, I'd say you are accidently sabotaging yourself with the water changes. If you don't have fish, you don't need to change the water.

Let the numbers spike. They will come down naturally as the necessary bacteria colonies form.

 

[Lady Cougrrr]

My tank is on day 39 of the fishless cycle. I wonder if I had a spike within a spike, because I tested this morning and my nitrites have dropped to 6 overnight? And I'm getting a normal nitrate reading of 5ppm again, which is what it was from the beginning. Maybe the water changes or the sudden decrease in ammonia caused this nitrite spike?

Anyway, I'll let it ride and keep dosing ammonia and we'll see if we can get this baby to cycle!

 

[Lady Cougrrr]

I think I figured out what caused the nitrite spike. I've been recording my readings on a daily basis, but I decided to chart it on a graph. That really gave me a visual of what's been going on!

It seems whenever I've added extra ammonia and that reading spiked, my nitrites have also spiked, and my nitrates have crashed. I did another water change days ago, and have been adding exactly the same amount of ammonia ever since. My nitrites levelled off and haven't risen, but my nitrates are starting to rise. Now I'll leave it alone and cross my fingers that the cycle completes soon!