New Tank Cycling And Nitrite Spike

[tameem]

I have had my 55 gallon tank with 12 tiger barbs and 3 cory cats for about a month now.
I have been doing daily water tests of ammonia and nitrites (and pH at times).

Readings have always been about .50 for Ammonia (largely due to tap water) and 0 for nitrites.
Within the last week, I started getting .25 readings of nitrites, and then doing daily 20% water changes.
Today for the first time my nitrite reading was 1.0! I did a 25% water change, and readings are now at around .25

Anything I need to be concerned about, or continue with what Im doing? I should start to see lower levels of ammonia.
Thanks


By the way, today I spoke to someone at petsmart and they told me I shouldn't be doing daily water changes, thats not good during this state. I should do it at least once a week, but not more. Somewhere on here someone mentioned that water changes should be done daily at this stage. Is this true? Thanks again.

 

[Corleone]

The person at petsmart is probably just echoing what was on a little quick answer pamphlet they were given when they were hired. I lost my first computer repair job for giving good advice because it conflicted with the management-approved answers, so don't hold it against them (hold it against PetSmart).

Since you're cycling with fish in, you'll need to do frequent and large water changes to keep ammonia and nitrite low - it might take more than daily, even. I wiped out my biofilter by a bad mistake three months ago, and it took 2 and sometimes 3 30% water changes a day to keep ammonia under .25 ppm. It might slow down the cycle, but letting it build up for a week would likely kill your fish before the cycle is finished

 

[tameem]

Thanks for your help. Today I actually did two water changes, 20% because of the nitrites. The ammonia so far seems to be steady and under control, at around .25-.50, which is what I have had ever since I had fish in it. The nitrite spike today showing a 1.0 was a concern, although it's all normal, of course.
I'll continue to test water daily and continue to do daily water changes to keep the levels low.

Thanks again.

by the way, what did you do exactly to wipe out your biofilter?