Cycling Question

[PlatinumAngel]

Ok, so I'm on day 20 of my fishless cycling. My ammonia is dissapearing pretty quickly, my nitrite is what I have a uestion about.
When I initially put in the chemicals, it's purple, but after about a minute it turns light light blue. I'm using an API test kit. is it finished cycling or off the charts?

 

[Corleone]

Off the charts. The nitrite and nitrate tests both do weird things at very high levels, maybe the ammonia test, too. At 0 it should stay light blue.

 

[PlatinumAngel]

ok, so should be light blue right off the bat without changing?

 

[NonstickRon]

Yeppers

 

[Ficious]

when i cycle i wear spandex and cliples shoes!





now when im on the bike, i wear a helmet of course

 

[PlatinumAngel]

lol. Water changes benificial at this point or not to bother?

 

[jnms]

lol. Water changes benificial at this point or not to bother?

I was told that when the nitrite goes off the charts that water changes can indeed help out a little. I did a 15% water change every day until the nitrites started to come down.

Another note, if you want to get an idea of your nitrite readings, fill your test tube with 50% tank water and 50% tap water, then do the test on that. Then you simply double whatever reading you get.

As my nitrite was so high, at one point I was putting 10% tank water into the tube and 90% tap water, then multiplying the test results by 10. This doesn't give an accurate figure, but it does let you know roughly where the nitrite is. And at least you get to see the changes, which is better than seeing the 'off the chart' results everyday...

 

[PlatinumAngel]

Thanks for the tip! Might do a few changes and see if it helps.