Ammonia Low Nitrite High

[00mitomk]

this doesnt make sense i have been told on here watch yer ammonia and nitirite level appantly thy usaly increase with each other my ammonia is realli low and the nitrite is majorly high can some give me some correct advice on wht todo.

i know i hve todo a 50% water change but wnt this affact my new media in the filter becouse ive jst started this tank up and ive used live bactria from tetra their new safe start and i ignored the whole fully stock the tank thing and add fish becouse it sounded nonsense tht wud like go crazy on levels i ahve no ammonia in tank but loads of nitrite

plz can someone help

Miles

 

[00mitomk]

since the last post i have done a 50% water change !

 

[BiffMalawi]

As a tank cycles, first the ammonia levels go up, then as they go down, nitrite goes up and finally as nitrites go down, nitrates go up. It sounds like your halfway through a cycle.

If you are doing a fishless cycle you can leave it until nitrates start to go up. A water change will slow things a bit but not hurt too much

I am not familiar with the bacteria product you added but most are useless. However your tank is cycling. If you are doing fishless you need a source of ammonia to feed the bacteria until you add fish. Have you read the pinned fishless cycling topic.

 

[00mitomk]

yea i ahev read all tht the problem is tht im not doing a fishless cycle no one told me abt this until i joined these forums and i had alreayd got fish then the lfs mentioned nuthing so the nitrite has gone down alot btw since water change and the ammonia is still 0 but thanks for the reply

 

[WILDER]

I agree the tank is cycling the nitrite will go off the chart, then gradually go down to 0.
Small water changes are best, or the cycle will take for ever, best to get it over with as quick as possible.
As sometimes delaying it just stresses the fish, but we all have different ways of doing it.