no nitrite change after 50% water change

[goodgy]

hi all
currently in the fourth week of fishless cycling 2 tanks ones a 5 gallon and ones a 16

Both have had the exact same results and can currently turn 3ppm of ammonia to 0 in 24hours

however since its 4 weeks and my nitrites are through the roof and only have had 5ppm nitrates the whole cycle I thought id try change things up and do a 60% water change in the 5 gallon to try lower the nitrites to a readable level

but after at least a 60% change the levels remained the same is this normal ? ( very very dark purple )

My tap water is
0 ammonia
0 nitrites
0 nitrates
7.6 ph

and all tap water added back into the tank was conditioned & correct temp ...

 

[threnjen]

This is normal. Each 1ppm ammonia becomes 2.7 ppm nitrites. So nitrites fly "off the scale" pretty instantly. It only takes 2ppm of ammonia for them to be totally unreadable. At 4ppm ammonia, then changing 50% of the water they would STILL be unreadable.
Do you understand what I'm saying?
If you add 4ppm in 24 hours you made 10.8ppm nitrites.

Trying to WC down to readable nitrites is pretty pointless in my opinion, but people continue to recommend it. You're really invalidating your ammonia dosing by making them readable since it only takes 2ppm ammonia to make an unreadable level of nitrites.

 

[goodgy]

No worries make sense now ! I'll continue to wait and hopefully they lower themselves

 

[J1Time]

Stop dosing ammonia as we'll. then bacteria will not starve off right away. Let the nitrites begin to fall then re dose.