Nitrate = 0, Ammonia = 0, Nitrite = 0.25 And Climbing

[garycooper34]

Hi Everyone,
 
Quick question I need some help on.
 
My tank is 30 days old now and I did a fish-in cycle (not many fish). Ammonia has been zero for 1.5-2 weeks, nitrates have fallen to 0 in the last few days but nitrite continues to climb until I do a partial water change. Usually it gets to 0.25 then I will do a change.
 
 
Is there any particular reason for this?

 

[stanleo]

Ammonia turns into nitrite and nitrite turns into nitrate. So if you mean that nitrate is continues to climb then you just have to keep doing water changes till it stabilizes then you can back off to doing them once every two weeks. Keep in mind that I am a newbie myself so I'm sure. The more experienced guys on here will be able to help more. I just know that when I did my fish in cycle it took about 6 weeks or so for everything to go well and I was able to put more fish in. What kind of fish did you start with?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

The above is correct...  You may have your nitrite and nitrate confused.  Or, you may still be in the nitrite spike of the cycling process.

 

[garycooper34]

Hi,
 
I definitely mean nitrAte = 0 and NitrIte = 0.25.
 
As nitrate is 0 now, and ammonia has been 0 for quite some time, I'm concerned why nitrite is still trying to spike.
 
My water levels have gone as below:
 
 

 

[CezzaXV]

The bacteria that convert ammonia to nitrite have grown enough to deal with what is being produced, but the bacteria that convert nitrIte to nitrAte are still growing. Just keep doing what you're doing.

 

[garycooper34]

Ok. I will do.
 
Thanks.

 

[Joshwainwright]

Yeah, you want to have your ammonia and nitrite at 0 for about a week before you deem your tank as cycled.
 
Just continue with the regular water changes and keep checking your parameters to ensure you're keeping your nitrites low

 

[Mamashack]

It may be that your cycle hasn't got to the stage where the nitrItes are being converted to nitrAtes yet. You say they they have fallen which implies they've been higher. It's highly unusual for nitrAtes to run at 0 once the cycle is under way, so can I ask which brand of water tests you are using? I use the API master test kit and the nitrAte test bottle no.2 is notoriously difficult to beat into submission. I don't know if it settles into sludge at the bottom or what, but after being advised to beat 7 shades of you-know-what out of it after a sudden drop to 5ppm in my tank I now get expected readings. Might be worth checking this if it's API tests you are using.

 

[eaglesaquarium]

The nitrate test has 3 reagents.  The 2nd bottle contains two of them.  One remains in solution, but the other doesn't dissolve, so it is always a solid held inside the solution (think - precipitate from high school chemistry).  The solid sinks to the bottom and packs together if not violently shaken before using it.  And the older it is (or the longer since your last use), the more you need to shake it.

 

[Mamashack]

Thanks eagles that explains it!

 

[Cherrybarb<3]

https://users.cs.duke.edu/~narten/faq/cycling.html
if anyone found this post and is looking for help on cycling read this article I found

 

[Gruntle]

https://users.cs.duke.edu/~narten/faq/cycling.html
if anyone found this post and is looking for help on cycling read this article I found

Or just read the "cycling a tank" article on this site (in the blue bar at the top under How To Tips). I prefer this one, as it has been thoroughly researched and tested, and gives a step-by-step guide. I had absolutely no issues cycling a tank using this, after a long and painful fish-in cycle on my first tank (before I found this site).

 

[seangee]

I have never got a "fish in" cycle to complete in under 12 weeks although others have claimed 8 weeks is possible. Either way you are still a few weeks off.

Personally I wouldn't worry about testing for nitrates until the nitrites drop to 0 since you're doing regular changes already. (Keep testing for ammonia and nitrites though)