problem with nitrite levels

[Delboy50]

Hi,

I have experience with previous tanks and have completed fishless on numerous occasions.

For some back ground I got a tank in 2019 and it was cycled and ready to populate when covid hit.
I ended putting it into storage and wrapped up for protection.

In September I took it back out of storage to get a tank running again.

I used DT Timms for the cycle following the instructions and some Seachem stability to speed up the process.

After 1 week the ammonia was disappearing after 24 hrs but the Nitrite levels were very high at 5.0 ppm on my test kit (API)

This continued for another week & i concluded the cycle had failed. I drained the tank completely and replaced the water.
I tested the water again and it was still showing nitrite at 5.0 ppm.

I repeated this again and the same result. After a third time the water was showing zero. Then 24 hrs later when I was going to
start the fishless cycle again it tested positive for nitrites at 5.0ppm.

I have no idea how the water has such toxicity. I am beginning to think the beechwood decor or the media content is now causing the issue.

I have a Biomaster 350 with carbon & ceramic biomaster rings covering biological, chemical & mechanical filtration.

Any thoughts for suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Derek

 

[Whitecloudminnowguy09]

Hello, Derek!
This is very odd, which makes ask some Qs,
How are you testing your nitrite? Is there any nitrates ever present? (As if there is most of the time, the. nitrites will be way off) What kind of substrate is in the tank?
Are you testing all parameters correctly? What is nitrite out of tap water if yoou use tap? How many drops of Dr tims did you do? Was the BB or ammonia of dr tims? I used this method, and have done 2 main fishless cycles, so I thought I might try to help out!
Hopw this is of some assistance! Once I have a little more info then I might can help better

 

[Delboy50]

Hi

Thank you for your response.

First the tap water is good quality PH7 and no issues on the testing front Nitrite is Zero.

I am testing the Nitrite using a API freshwater test kit. Nitrite levels are showing the maximum on my test kit 5.0 ppm.
The Nitrate levels are also high 80 ppm. Substrate is mixed size small stones. On the testing I am following the instructions as specified in the
the manual. There is at this point zero Ammonia showing in the water.

The tanks is 200 litres which is about 52 US gallons. So 208 drops of DR Tims's.

I am thinking about taking out all the bogwood as it has been soaked in the toxic water. Also removing the carbon and Biomaster rings as I am not
sure if they will hold the toxic water levels.