High Nitrites During Beginning of Cycle

[Dustinryan2010]

I started cycling my 13.5 gallon with Dr Tim’s Ammonium Chloride and Bio-Spira. I’m on day 4 my ammonia is getting low, (0-.25) while my nitrites are 5+. Diluted a test tub with half tank water, half RO water and test tube still turned purple. At this point what should I do? Dr. Tim recommends a water change but I don’t really find that necessary so early on in the cycle, should I continue to dose ammonia to keep the bacteria fed or should I hold off on dosing until my nitrites come down?

 

[Crabs McJones]

Keep dosing ammonia, doing a water change at this point may prolong your cycle.

 

[vetteguy53081]

As much as I hate to recommend any, a nice culture of bacteria such as Fritz turbo zyme 900 or Bacter 8 will help promote live bacteria after first doing a 3o% or so water change.
Additionally, what test kits are you using? If API or similar, consider taking a water sample to your local aquarium shop and having it tested for comparison purposes.

 

[Dustinryan2010]

As much as I hate to recommend any, a nice culture of bacteria such as Fritz turbo zyme 900 or Bacter 8 will help promote live bacteria after first doing a 3o% or so water change.
Additionally, what test kits are you using? If API or similar, consider taking a water sample to your local aquarium shop and having it tested for comparison purposes.

On the first day I added a small bottle of Dr Tims one and only bacteria, and the next day a small bottle of Bio Spora bacteria. I’m currently using API testing, think I’m going to stop dosing ammonium completely until my nitrite levels go down

 

[Dustinryan2010]

As much as I hate to recommend any, a nice culture of bacteria such as Fritz turbo zyme 900 or Bacter 8 will help promote live bacteria after first doing a 3o% or so water change.
Additionally, what test kits are you using? If API or similar, consider taking a water sample to your local aquarium shop and having it tested for comparison purposes.

Do these parameters look feasible on a 4 day old tank in my circumstances?

 

[Dom]

Be patient and wait it out. If you are cycling, there shouldn't be anything in the tank, so no suffering of any inhabitants.

 

[Brew12]

Yup, looks very reasonable. I wouldn't add any more ammonia. Just let it sit and wait it out.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Wait it out.

 

[lapin]

Day 4 . Wait it out. Day 5 wait it out.......... When you have "0" ammonia add some more, or a table shrimp, or some flake food to feed the bacteria so they multiply. We normally call a tank cycled and ready for a few small fish, when the tank can process 2ppm of ammonia in 24 hrs. You will end up with a lot of nitrates when you are done cycling. No ammonia and no nitrites. Plan for a very big water change to remove nitrates. You will not remove bacteria as they grow on hard surfaces and will remain there.

 

[Dustinryan2010]

Thank you all for your responses!