Nitrite Readings In Fishless Cycle - Argghh!

[DanielG]

ok so ive been fishless cycling for a while now using bactinettes

ammonia is dropping from 3ppm to 0ppm over night and has been for about a week

nitrite i thought was stuck at 2ppm, until yesterday when i did a 40% water change as nitrates were getting out of control (+100ppm, tap water is 40ppm) and the level of nitrites stayed at 2ppm, so im guessing nitrite went of the scale

im wondering will nitrite ever drop? Its been like this a while now nitrate is going up so some nitrite is being processed but i dont think the nitrite processing bacteria can keep up with the ammonia processing bacteria

is there anyway to speed up the nitrite processing bacteria's growth?

 

[doresy]

It took my little 34 ltre tank 8 weeks to fully cycle

Like you, after the ammonia processing bacteria formed quickly the nitrite ones seemed to take forever! That moment when the (API) nitrite testing drops go in and there is NO immediate purple in the bottom of the tube you think OMG Then it stays sky blue for the whole 5 minutes you go

That moment is worth waiting for my friend and it will come....................eventually