Nitrites are still high

[theginz]

Well i am about 2 months into the cycle with my 55gal tank. i have 3 jewel fish, 3 dempseys, and 2 red devils. i a running an aqua clear 500 filter with media, gravel, and various decorations. i have been testing the water regularly and my ph is 7.4, ammonia is 0, but my nitrites are up to 5ppm. they have been this way for probably 3-4 weeks now. i have been doing about a 10 gal water change once a week. the fish look great and the water is crystal clear, but the nitrites just wont come down. is there anything i can do, or should be doing??

 

[FroggyFox]

Sounds like you just need to keep plugging away at it. The water changes to keep your fish alive are stretching out this part of the cycle for you.

Have you tried seeding it with any type of media from another established tank? That could help speed things up a bit.

 

[theginz]

Well i havent seeded the tank, but i am at the point where i might resort to that. am i doing the correct frequency and volume of water changes??

 

[twoluvcats]

my nitrites got suck like that and i did a 50% water change and they plummeted to 0 in a couple days...suddenly my cycle just finished Try it, it might get them moving again.

 

[FroggyFox]

Its possible that they've been stuck for a long time...but with doing water changes enough to keep your fish alive...you're probably not to the point where a big change would help. I'd say if they're stuck for another week at the same exact spot...then you could try a huge change.

As for if you're doing the right frequency of changes...I suppose if your fish are still alive then you're doing a good job I would step it up to 25% a week after your cycle is done though...I dont know that 10% is enough.

 

[theginz]

Thank you for the advice. i will try to get something from an established tank possibly to seed mine.

 

[dbacksrat]

yeah if your fish start acting abnormally you'll know something is wrong--just keep with the routine water changes--seeding will help a lot

 

[TurbineSurgeon]

It seems like the nitrite cycle hangs on for a long time. I have experienced no change for about three weeks and then overnight, they drop to zero. The bacteria that are responsible for this part of the cycle reproduce much slower than the nitrsomonas that convert ammonia to itraite.