High Nitrites

[the grim reefer]

I was just wondering if anyone has any guidelines or timeframe how long the nitrites stay high in a cycling tank for..I am cycling with uncured live rock and they have been as high as the card registers for about 2 weeks now...nitrates are also really high..amonia is 0...any feedback would be greatly appreciated. I dont want to do a PWC because then it just delays the cycling process. Oh and I have not seen any kind of life of any kind of hitchhikers...its been just about a month.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[roka64]

Hmmm, I am cycling two tanks now. I started them on Nov 19. You should be close to the end of your cycle, have you seen a diatom bloom? My bloom hit about 1 week ago, 3 days later it was gone. Are the nitrItes coming down? The nitrAtes should start to knock out the nitrItes.

 

[melosu58]

It sounds like you are doing OK. Before long your nitrites will go to 0 and you`ll have high nitrates and your cycle should be done. When it is then do a large PWC and you are ready to go.

 

[the grim reefer]

Yes I have a huge diatom bloom happening right now. It has been happening for about 1.5 weeks..it seems to be subsiding slowly.. The nitrItes have not gone down at all and the nitrAtes are extremely high too....I have been testing my water every 2nd day and I am using Salifert test kits and there has been absolutely no change at all..its as bright of pink as you can possibly get. I think that this has killed anything that was living in the rocks which is very dissappointing. Surely to goodness something critter would have surfaced by now.

 

[roka64]

You used uncured LR, there probably wasn't much on it, but you will be surprised at what will start growing in the first few months.
Can you confirm your test results with your LFS? I just found out my test kit is no good.

 

[the grim reefer]

Hey Roka, I would have thought that the uncured LR would have had more on it than the cured as came straight from the ocean to the LFS. My test kit is good because I tried it on one of my freshwater tanks. Everyone says that patience is the virtue with saltwater and I guess mine is lacking right now... I just didnt understand how the nitrItes and the nitrAtes could both be so high at the same time as one is suppose to outweigh the others...Oh so much to learn

 

[melosu58]

You are OK. Just be patient. Your cycle is going along fine.

 

[roka64]

LR would have had more on it than the cured as came straight from the ocean to the LFS.

Remember, we are talking about the nitrifying bacteria as the "live" part of the rock, not the bonus critters.
I do agree with Mel, you are doing great! At least you have rock in your tank! LOL! I just got 100Lbs of base today and have to wait till the weekend to build it!

 

[the grim reefer]

Yes your right...the critters desirable or not are the added bonus for sure....what the heck I have lots of time..no money now as its all gone into the tank...

Its slower than a freshwater thats for sure..I just have to get around to thinking totally different....

Thanks everyone though for all the words of encouragement

 

[roka64]

Sure no problem, you now have some extra time to decide what your new inhabitants will be!