No NitrItes but tons of NitrAtes

if youre cycling the tank, high nitrate should be a good sigh
and yes just do water change to bring it down

I would have to say your almost done cycling. the nitrite may not be building up enough to show on the test due to your bacteria being able out compete it. I'd go head pull a water change and add a couple. Watch your ammonia after adding them though

API nitrite tests can be tricky. You have to shake the bejeebers out of bottle #2 to stir up the regent (It helps to smack the bottom of the bottle onto the edge of a table.) then follow instructions *exactly* for mixing, shaking, etc.

Or maybe your nitrite-fixing bacteria were working overtime, and you just missed seeing the spike.

Either way, sounds like your tank is cycled!

I think you might have a bad test solution. If your cycling and seeing ammonia and nitrates then you should see nitrites as well.

H2Ogal said:

API nitrite tests can be tricky. You have to shake the bejeebers out of bottle #2 to stir up the regent (It helps to smack the bottom of the bottle onto the edge of a table.) then follow instructions *exactly* for mixing, shaking, etc.

Or maybe your nitrite-fixing bacteria were working overtime, and you just missed seeing the spike.

Either way, sounds like your tank is cycled!

Click to expand...

I think thats the nitrate test, not nitrite.

OP, did you seed the tank with anything. Any BB from an established source. I have seeded in the past and seen absolutely no nitrite from cycle start to completion. Also there should be a lot number on your reagent bottle. What are the last 4 numbers. They should be the month/year of manufacture. I think 3 years was the last expiration guideline I heard.

The same thing happened to me, ammonia dropped and nitrates formed, but no nitrites. Keep cycling, the nitrites will come. Keep adding the ammonia, and checking your numbers daily. If you're almost at 160 ppm nitrates do a water change to drop your nitrates. How long have you been cycling? I cycled for 100 days before I added fish.

thanks for all the tips.
My first 6 gallon tank and i've been cycling it for almost 3 months now. At first, i started with drinking water only to have the guy at the store say that my water source is too clean and no bacteria would grow.

Once i put in the tap water, the algae kicked in, ammonia was disappearing quick, but still no nitrites. Seems like with the heavy spike of nitrates though that the cycle is near end.

I'll do a water change and drop in a bit more ammonia and will let everyone know.

Thanks again

Often nitrites rise and drop quickly and are done before you test, like overnight. If you have nitrates your done.

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Have you tested the the source of your water change water for nitrates? I would do that. My tap water has like 30ppm so you never know.

Good point. Just tested the tap water source for nitrates and it's below 5 ppm.
so my tank right now is near the 100's. Definitely changing the water.

H2Ogal said:

API nitrite tests can be tricky. You have to shake the bejeebers out of bottle #2 to stir up the regent (It helps to smack the bottom of the bottle onto the edge of a table.) then follow instructions *exactly* for mixing, shaking, etc.

Click to expand...

Axelrod12 said:

I think thats the nitrate test, not nitrite.

Click to expand...

*facepalm*

Yes, I was thinking of the nitrates test. Doh!

hmm...so i've done a 50% water change, twice in the past week and the nitrAte level is still really high. water conditioner added with every water change.

Ammonia is at .25 and i'm thinking of adding another 1.5 ppm to stir things back up. (6 gallon fluval)

PH is low, at about 6.4.

Still no signs of NitrItes.

any suggestions?

Does your ammonia rise then drop?
Ammonia is converted to nitrite. Nitrite to nitrate. It continues to sound like your waiting for a nitrite spike that has come and gone. If tap water is low in nitrate like you said then guess who is making more. Mr. Nitrite.

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No, the ammonia has been rising due to me putting it in.
what i'm wondering about is how to get the nitrate level down to 40 ppm. The test comes out blood red - over 80 ppm plus.

Stop putting in ammonia. That's why your nitrates keep rising. Give it a day or two to make sure ammonia drops . Then Water change like crazy to get nitrates down, then relax.

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