Nitrite Levels

[Donners_99]

Thankfully my Cycle is now in swing with ammonia being converted into nitrites. Reading across various sources, I’m under the impression that high nitrites can slow down if not stall the cycle. However I can’t seem to find what is classed as high nitrites. Do people recommend water changes when nitrites reach a certain level ? What level of nitrite would you do a water change at to reduce it. If it makes any difference, I have no nitrates yet I’ve just started seeing ammonia being converted to nitrites.

Thanks Again

Don

 

[mbsqw1d]

Thankfully my Cycle is now in swing with ammonia being converted into nitrites. Reading across various sources, I’m under the impression that high nitrites can slow down if not stall the cycle. However I can’t seem to find what is classed as high nitrites. Do people recommend water changes when nitrites reach a certain level ? What level of nitrite would you do a water change at to reduce it. If it makes any difference, I have no nitrates yet I’ve just started seeing ammonia being converted to nitrites.

Thanks Again

Don

More important to keep an eye on your ph.
Nitrification produces nitric acid which can lower ph depending your water's ability to buffer (kh).
If nitric acid builds and lowers your ph, then ammonia starts to become ammonium and generally the Nitrosomonas bacteria have a hard time and thus the cycle stalls.

 

[Donners_99]

More important to keep and eye on your ph.
Nitrification produces nitric acid which can lower ph depending your water's ability to buffer (kh).
If nitric acid builds and lowers your ph, then ammonia starts to become ammonium and generally the Nitrosomonas bacteria have a hard time and thus the cycle stalls.

I’m checking my Ph every 2-3 days and so far it’s staying constant at 7.6. I’m lead to believe keeping it above 7 will prevent the cycle stalling ?

 

[Slaphppy7]

Ph will fluctuate during a fishless cycle, perfectly normal.

But, a ph below 6.0 can stall the cycle; as long as the ph stays above that mark, you'll be fine.

 

[Essjay]

However I can’t seem to find what is classed as high nitrites

16.5 ppm nitrite, or thereabouts, is stall point. But our test kits don't read that high; they show the highest colour on the chart regardless of how high it really is.

The fishless cycling method on here was written so that if ammonia is added only when it says, nitrite can never get high enough to stall the cycle.

 

[Donners_99]

Since first seeing nitrites how long does it tend to take before seeing nitrites drop and nitrates appear. I’m testing and have no nitrates as of yet, I’ve read somewhere that sometimes there isn’t room for the nitrite consuming bacteria to grow on the filter due to the ammonia consuming bacteria colonising. Is this regularly an issue ?

Thanks Again

 

[Essjay]

Last time I did a fishless cycle, nitrite showed up on day 28 and the cycle completed on day 48.

There is plenty of room for both bacteria - they don't just grow in the filter but on every surface in the tank including the particles of the substrate.

 

[Donners_99]

Now on Day 36 adding 2ppm of ammonia and when tested 24 hours later it’s 0 ammonia and 0.25ppm of nitrite with nitrates around 40ppm currently so looks like the end is in sight. Would you bother with a water change when nitrates reach a certain level while cycling ? I understand to do as many water changes as necessary once the cycles finished to get nitrates around 20ppm or less

 

[Naughts]

Getting close
My understanding is that there is no issue with raised nitrates during a fishless cycle.
Once cycled, you will need to change almost all (as much as possible) the water to remove nitrates so that it is suitable to add fish.