TwoTankAmin
Fish Connoisseur
Ammonia or nitrite levels over 5 ppm definitely stall a cycle and depending how long or how high they go, they can start to kill bacteria.
If you get readings of 5 ppm or above for either, use water changes to get the levels back under 5 ppm.
The main cause of nitrites going too high is the over dosing of ammonia. This is caused either by too large a single dose, or by doing daily dosing to keep bringing ammonia levels back to some target number. The reason is that the bacteria that consume the nitrite produced by the ammonia eaters, grow at a slower rate than the ammonia eaters. So if you keep pumping in ammonia the nitrite has to build up. How much depends on how much ammonia is going in.
After the initial dosing of ammonia, the next dose should not be done until ammonia levels have returned to 0.
Finally, the processes at work in getting a tanks cycled initially, especially doing it without fish, work to drive pH down. How much and how fast is a function of several other factors. So how much and how fast can vary from tank to tank. The point is, tanks will cycle fastest at about a pH of 8.2 and will slow dramatically as one crosses under 7.0. Thus one should monitor pH and if it drops too much, use water changes to get it back up. If this fails you can add small amounts of baking soda. But be sure that when the cycle is done that you change the water to bring the pH back to tap levels which is likely where you will be keeping your fish.
Also, if you have raised your tank temp into the mid 80sF (about 29-31C) to speed the cycle, don't forget to turn down the thermometer and get the water temp. reset to wherever is should be for the fish.
If you get readings of 5 ppm or above for either, use water changes to get the levels back under 5 ppm.
The main cause of nitrites going too high is the over dosing of ammonia. This is caused either by too large a single dose, or by doing daily dosing to keep bringing ammonia levels back to some target number. The reason is that the bacteria that consume the nitrite produced by the ammonia eaters, grow at a slower rate than the ammonia eaters. So if you keep pumping in ammonia the nitrite has to build up. How much depends on how much ammonia is going in.
After the initial dosing of ammonia, the next dose should not be done until ammonia levels have returned to 0.
Finally, the processes at work in getting a tanks cycled initially, especially doing it without fish, work to drive pH down. How much and how fast is a function of several other factors. So how much and how fast can vary from tank to tank. The point is, tanks will cycle fastest at about a pH of 8.2 and will slow dramatically as one crosses under 7.0. Thus one should monitor pH and if it drops too much, use water changes to get it back up. If this fails you can add small amounts of baking soda. But be sure that when the cycle is done that you change the water to bring the pH back to tap levels which is likely where you will be keeping your fish.
Also, if you have raised your tank temp into the mid 80sF (about 29-31C) to speed the cycle, don't forget to turn down the thermometer and get the water temp. reset to wherever is should be for the fish.
