Tremendous NITRITE and NITRATE spikes during Fishless Cycling!

[Madi]

Hi guys, a newbie to fishkeeping here, first I want to thank austinsdad for the welcome.(",)

I am on my 5th week of fishless cycling. I have no problems now with ammonia which is dropping to 0ppm from 1-2ppm reading. My concern is the NITRITE and NITRATE spikes. Searching the net, I've never seen similiar situation as of mine so I ended signing up here to post my tank's situation. I followed very well the Fishless Cycling and presently as I have mentioned I have no problems on ammonia since they are dropping to 0 consistently every 24hrs after feeding my tank with Ace Ammonia (3-4 drops makes 1-2ppm ammonia reading) however, I am having I think very high off-chart NITRITE and NITRATE spikes (5ppm+ and 160ppm+ respectively). The first time (sometime around the 3rd week) I attempted to lower the NITRITE (coz I read that very high NITRITE level can stall the cycling), it took me 2 days (atleast 70%WC each day) to lower it within range on my test kit, I got about 0.5 - 1ppm reading but then after 3days it was up again to 5.0ppm+ off the chart! NITRATE took just a little more time to rebuild-up from 20-40ppm after the 90%WC, it was up again 160ppm+ off-chart 4-5days later! - Is this normal?
Now I am doing 50-60%WC every 5 days to manage NITRITE BUT I can't see a NITRITE drop on doing this (the same deep purple color on test kit before and after the WC) but NITRATE is dropping down to 20ppm after the WC and after few days (3-4days) it would be up again 160ppm+ deep red color on test kit! I just decided to perform this 50-60%WC every 5days coz I am afraid to lose significant amount of Nitrite after the change, it is hard to assume the level of Nitrite reading after the change but so far my NITRITE reading seems to be the same before and after doing 50-60%WC every 5days. I really wonder why I am having this tremendous NITRITE and NITRATE spikes! while I see on others saying their Nitrates started to build-up only after their Nitrites started to drop.. seems logical, and also they all seem to have within range (on the test kit) readings of Nitrite and Nitrates,.. so I wonder what is wrong with what I am doing.. Why my NITRATE reading keeps coming up OFF-CHART while my NITRITE does not drop instead always up also OFF-CHART despite 50-60%WC every 5days?

It is really frustrating, it shows that I already have good bacteria in my tank but how come NITRITE reading is still way up off the chart? and NITRATES develop very fast after a significant WC so it indicates NITRITE-processing bacteria are there. And I am just keeping more or less 1-2ppm ammonia, I just put 3-4 drops just to have an ammonia reading to feed ammonia-processing bacteria that are present. Is there really a magical 0 Nitrite reading??!! It is still a legend to me till I witness that 0 NITRITE reading, I don't know what I might be doing wrong.. any thoughts on my poor tank's situation? How long should be the wait? Observing the readings I am getting it seems impossible for the NITRITE to drop to 0 they are really way OFF the Chart (deep Purple!) despite 50-60%WC every 5days.
Oh, is it ok for a daily WC and how many % during Fishless cycling to reduce NITRITE or should I perform a very huge WC (90%) one time to atleast reduce NITRITE reading?
Would frequent WC (or any WC) prolong the duration of fishless cycling?

BTW I am using API Freshwater master test kit.

I am now thinking of just buying fish and just use Prime, I want to scrap this fishless cycling coz it seems to take forever and my 5yr old daughter is very eager to see some fish in our tank! actually...... both of us

Thank you very much in advance to all who will reply!
I would base my decision on the suggestions/replies I would receive

Again, many thanks to all..


My Tank details:
10 Gallon
Heater - Tetra 2-15gal, maintain 78deg F temp
Bubbler - Marineland Led Bubble Wand 6 Led 8.5" Blue attached to AQT3001 pump.
Filter - Aqua-Tech 5-15gal
Live Plants: 1 Anubias, 1 Java Fern - attached to a fake driftwood
Some fake plastic plants
Lighting - I just use our desk lamp approx. 8-10hrs daily, I place over the glass cover
Spongebob, Patrick and Sandy (each ~1.5" tall) and the Pineapple house (~6" tall)

 

[neilanh]

Welcome to AA!

Don't give up, you are very close to being done with your cycle.

First, ignore the nitrAte test. When there are high levels of ammonia or nitrIte in the water, it affects the nitrAte test's ability to read accurately. The fact that you are seeing nitrAte is good because it means your cycle is progressing.

You're in the late stages of the game here. I agree it's bad to let your nitrIte get too high, so here's what I recommend. Do another very large water change (make sure you dechlorinate properly) and get the level down to a readable range. Then, only dose ammonia every other day for a few days and see what happens. The bacteria will be fine not being "fed" every single day, so no need to worry about your ammonia-munching buddies.

Again, I think you are extremely close to the end. I'd hate to see you give up now. Please don't put fish in the tank while you're nitrIte level is so high, that's about as toxic as having high amounts of ammonia and they'd never survive in this environment.

 

[meegosh]

Have you tested your water out of the tap? I'm wondering if you have a measurable amount of nitrates just in your tap. At my old apartment I would read 10ppm of nitrates after letting it sit.

Have any of the live plants rotted? Is there any mulm (brown dirty stuff) at the bottom of the tank?

 

[Madi]

Welcome to AA!

Don't give up, you are very close to being done with your cycle.

First, ignore the nitrAte test. When there are high levels of ammonia or nitrIte in the water, it affects the nitrAte test's ability to read accurately. The fact that you are seeing nitrAte is good because it means your cycle is progressing.

You're in the late stages of the game here. I agree it's bad to let your nitrIte get too high, so here's what I recommend. Do another very large water change (make sure you dechlorinate properly) and get the level down to a readable range. Then, only dose ammonia every other day for a few days and see what happens. The bacteria will be fine not being "fed" every single day, so no need to worry about your ammonia-munching buddies.

Again, I think you are extremely close to the end. I'd hate to see you give up now. Please don't put fish in the tank while you're nitrIte level is so high, that's about as toxic as having high amounts of ammonia and they'd never survive in this environment.

Thanks for the reply guys! Oh I see... well if that is so I'll just do a huge water change again today coz I just did 50%WC a couple of days ago but it seems NITRITE is very stable - DEEP PURPLE no change in color on my test kit after the change, I hope I can bring it down within range on my test kit after the change but never prolong the cycle time... we can't wait to buy fish
And yes, I always dechlorinate the water (I am using Aquasafe) and making sure that the water is at same temperature (78F) before I put in my tank.

When I tested our tap water, the readings:
Ammonia = about 0.25-0.5ppm
Nitrate = 0ppm
Nitrite = 0ppm
PH = 7.6
No plants rotted and in fact the two bunches seem to be so healthy each has a couple of new leaves now.
No brown dirty stuff at the bottom, the tank seems crystal clear maybe because of the WCs I have done since the 3rd week.

Yes, our tap water contains ammonia so whenever I do a WC I just feed the tank 24hrs later in order to have 1-2ppm ammonia reading. I do the ammonia feeding daily (coz I don't want to starve the ammonia-munching buddies), so now as recommended by neilanh I'll just do it every other day..I'll put these guys in strict diet! I'll follow the advice and see what happens.. I hope my tank is really close to completion of the mysterious Nitrogen Cycle.....

Again, thanks so much guys! I appreciate your replies.

I have now reason to believe that I'm on the right track and I'll get this Cycle done soon.

 

[ejaramillo01]

Keep up

I'm sure that youvare almost there, don't give up, I suffered a really similar situation with my quarentine tank, I was doing water changes every 3 days, same as you, deep purple color every time, and sudenly one day, boom, droped to a readable level, and in two days I was reading blue=0ppm!!

So don't give up, you invested already 5 weeks !!, 1 or 2 more is nothing versus the happy fish that you will have in a fully cycle tank.

 

[elysekuf]

You're getting close! I experienced much of the same the last few weeks! But last week over the course of 2.5 - 3 days, we did 5 or 6 90% water changes which allowed the nitrite to drop and eventually get to zero. Since then, we've only been redosing ammonia after nitrites have dropped. After that zero after our last water change, it took 44 hours, the next 32, and in an hour I'll be testing again to see if we made the 24 hour window.

You're close! Just hold out a little longer!!

 

[sanchezkk]

Hi guys, a newbie to fishkeeping here, first I want to thank austinsdad for the welcome.(",)

I am on my 5th week of fishless cycling. I have no problems now with ammonia which is dropping to 0ppm from 1-2ppm reading. My concern is the NITRITE and NITRATE spikes. Searching the net, I've never seen similiar situation as of mine so I ended signing up here to post my tank's situation. I followed very well the Fishless Cycling and presently as I have mentioned I have no problems on ammonia since they are dropping to 0 consistently every 24hrs after feeding my tank with Ace Ammonia (3-4 drops makes 1-2ppm ammonia reading) however, I am having I think very high off-chart NITRITE and NITRATE spikes (5ppm+ and 160ppm+ respectively). The first time (sometime around the 3rd week) I attempted to lower the NITRITE (coz I read that very high NITRITE level can stall the cycling), it took me 2 days (atleast 70%WC each day) to lower it within range on my test kit, I got about 0.5 - 1ppm reading but then after 3days it was up again to 5.0ppm+ off the chart! NITRATE took just a little more time to rebuild-up from 20-40ppm after the 90%WC, it was up again 160ppm+ off-chart 4-5days later! - Is this normal?
Now I am doing 50-60%WC every 5 days to manage NITRITE BUT I can't see a NITRITE drop on doing this (the same deep purple color on test kit before and after the WC) but NITRATE is dropping down to 20ppm after the WC and after few days (3-4days) it would be up again 160ppm+ deep red color on test kit! I just decided to perform this 50-60%WC every 5days coz I am afraid to lose significant amount of Nitrite after the change, it is hard to assume the level of Nitrite reading after the change but so far my NITRITE reading seems to be the same before and after doing 50-60%WC every 5days. I really wonder why I am having this tremendous NITRITE and NITRATE spikes! while I see on others saying their Nitrates started to build-up only after their Nitrites started to drop.. seems logical, and also they all seem to have within range (on the test kit) readings of Nitrite and Nitrates,.. so I wonder what is wrong with what I am doing.. Why my NITRATE reading keeps coming up OFF-CHART while my NITRITE does not drop instead always up also OFF-CHART despite 50-60%WC every 5days?

It is really frustrating, it shows that I already have good bacteria in my tank but how come NITRITE reading is still way up off the chart? and NITRATES develop very fast after a significant WC so it indicates NITRITE-processing bacteria are there. And I am just keeping more or less 1-2ppm ammonia, I just put 3-4 drops just to have an ammonia reading to feed ammonia-processing bacteria that are present. Is there really a magical 0 Nitrite reading??!! It is still a legend to me till I witness that 0 NITRITE reading, I don't know what I might be doing wrong.. any thoughts on my poor tank's situation? How long should be the wait? Observing the readings I am getting it seems impossible for the NITRITE to drop to 0 they are really way OFF the Chart (deep Purple!) despite 50-60%WC every 5days.
Oh, is it ok for a daily WC and how many % during Fishless cycling to reduce NITRITE or should I perform a very huge WC (90%) one time to atleast reduce NITRITE reading?
Would frequent WC (or any WC) prolong the duration of fishless cycling?

BTW I am using API Freshwater master test kit.

I am now thinking of just buying fish and just use Prime, I want to scrap this fishless cycling coz it seems to take forever and my 5yr old daughter is very eager to see some fish in our tank! actually...... both of us

Thank you very much in advance to all who will reply!
I would base my decision on the suggestions/replies I would receive

Again, many thanks to all..


My Tank details:
10 Gallon
Heater - Tetra 2-15gal, maintain 78deg F temp
Bubbler - Marineland Led Bubble Wand 6 Led 8.5" Blue attached to AQT3001 pump.
Filter - Aqua-Tech 5-15gal
Live Plants: 1 Anubias, 1 Java Fern - attached to a fake driftwood
Some fake plastic plants
Lighting - I just use our desk lamp approx. 8-10hrs daily, I place over the glass cover
Spongebob, Patrick and Sandy (each ~1.5" tall) and the Pineapple house (~6" tall)

How are your Nitrite levels now? My wife and I are going through the same thing.