No nitrites

[Nostromo]

Day 13 into fishless cycle soon to be 14 days still no nitrites is this normal? I know everybody told me patience but surely something should have happened by now? If I put some phosphate in will this help me out any or is this not needed seeing I used Dr.Tims one and only I also added some seachem stability as well but the figures are not moving at all , I thought I would be seeing some light by now but I just keep seeing darkness

 

[Upstate TBarbs]

Cycling my tank took almost 2 months. Granted, there was a screwup or two along the way that I had to overcome, but it did happen. And It will happen for you as well. That's the good news.

The bad news is that it takes longer for the nitrIte bacteria to establish itself than it does for the ammonia bacteria. About twice as long. Ballpark guess is that it will take about 6 weeks for your tank to cycle.

Just do not overfeed ammonia, let it get to about 3 - 4 PPM, and then wait for it to get to 0 PPM. Then check for nitrItes. If ammo is 0 PPM and you have a reading for nitrItes, then add ammonia to about 1 PPM and wait.

Protip: If you do the nitrIte test, and the 5 drops immediately start to turn purple before you shake the test tube, your reading will be over 5 PPM for nitrIte. I would do an immediate 50 - 90% water change and then retest in an hour. A nitrIte level over 5 PPM can slow or kill the bacteria colony.

Patience, grasshopper.

 

[coralbandit]

Have you tested for nitrAtes ?
I have seen cycles show no nitrite and go right to nitrate.
UTB is correct that the nitrite takes longer to show and grow often.

 

[Upstate TBarbs]

Check your tap water for nitr8s first, some municipal water supplies have them. If it does, then the same amount will probably be in the tank.

 

[Nostromo]

I have they are zero