Need Help Cycling - Nitrite Problem

[brian carnage]

so first off here is what i got.

10 gallon tank
3 guppies
3 banana plants
and one other plant i don't know what it is. about 6 inches long with 3 leaves coming off it that span half the plant.

in the past i have always had bigger tanks with the smallest ever being a 29 but i don't have the room where i live so i decided to set up a 10 gallon.

i am a month into the cycle and the fish are all doing fine so far but the nitrites are through the roof

ammonia is .50
nitrates are 10
but nitrites are through the roof reading at a very very dark purple. every other day i am doing about a 10 percent water change but it doesn't seem to be doing anything and since the fish seem fine should i even bother.

anybody got any advice for me about getting nitrites down or should i just leave it as it is.

like i said I'm use to dealing with bigger tanks and everything has always worked itself out but this 10 gallon tank is being weird.

also i have a penguin bio wheel filter and with my other tanks i have always waited till after the cycle to rinse it out. should i wait just the same like i have before?

advice, comments, anything.

thank you in advance.
-brian-

 

[fluttermoth]

You need to do many, many more water changes. 10% every other day just isn't good enough, I'm afraid; not with nitrites that high.

Start by doing one massive one, leaving just enough water for your fish to swim upright (and, as I always say; either make sure the heater stays covered with water or switch it off or it'll overheat and can explode) then test, and if it's not zero, do another one. Make sure your new water is warm and dechlorinated, obviously.