Day 12, 4th testing, kinda confusied

[David Grubb]

So I just got done with my 4th test and ive got a log book in keep track of everything with so I dobt forget but ive got some questions on my cycling
1st everyobe has told me to bring my salt levels up to around 1.026 from 1.023 so I keep adding saltwater as the water evaps but its only up to 1.024, seems like it should have came up more than that to me or I could be wrong
Second is my ammonia has been holding steady at .25 to .50, not really seen a spike or is it still yet to come
And third is my nitrite has jumped to a 2.0 and my nitrate has jumped from 5.0 to 40
Do I need to do a water change or continue to let it run its course
This is a new 55gal tank 50 lbs of stone and 40 lbs of live sand with no fish or live creatures thus far, I could use a little info if I'm going in the right direction. I know theres tons of info on here but its a little over welming trying to read everything sometimes

 

[lapin]

You are doing just fine.
How did you start your cycle? Did you add ammonia and bottled bacteria or just live sand? Is the stone live or was it dry or?

 

[David Grubb]

You are doing just fine.
How did you start your cycle? Did you add ammonia and bottled bacteria or just live sand? Is the stone live or was it dry or?

The stone was dry stone, but there is a 8lb purple rock as well. I havent added really anything just done a small amount of fish food is all everything else is on its own

 

[lapin]

Not sure what a purple rock is. The fish food will cause the ammonia to rise. The bacteria will process the ammonia to nitrite. Then other bacteria (that grows a bit slower) converts nitrite to nitrate. The nitrate reading will not be accurate as long as you have nitrite.
Some test kits may not be accurate.
Since you have high nitrate sounds like your cycle is moving right along.
How long has the tank been cycling?

 

[David Grubb]

Not sure what a purple rock is. The fish food will cause the ammonia to rise. The bacteria will process the ammonia to nitrite. Then other bacteria (that grows a bit slower) converts nitrite to nitrate. The nitrate reading will not be accurate as long as you have nitrite.
Some test kits may not be accurate.
Since you have high nitrate sounds like your cycle is moving right along.
How long has the tank been cycling?

The tank has been going for 12 days now, I was just worried because the nitrates shot way up there or so it seems to me

 

[lapin]

You will remove most of the nitrates with a massive water change once you feel your initial cycle is done. Make sure your feeding of the tank does not result in a bunch of old food laying on the sand bed or stuck in the rock work.