Nitrates, nitrites,

[Smitty007j]

Ok so im at 10 days cycling a 90 gallon tank and have already had my ammonia spike along with everything else. I had it down to 0 everything except nitrates were at 2 now nitrates and nitrites are shooting up is this just the end of the cycle or should I do a water change.

 

[mike007]

Yes you can do a water change and if you added live rock you probably have some die off and that's where the nitrates could be coming from. They will start lowering as tank matures.

 

[Smitty007j]

Should I add a cuc I was gonna start small since there is no algae yet. And then maybe one or two fish.

 

[Waters]

Ok so im at 10 days cycling a 90 gallon tank and have already had my ammonia spike along with everything else. I had it down to 0 everything except nitrates were at 2 now nitrates and nitrites are shooting up is this just the end of the cycle or should I do a water change.

If nitrites are shooting up then you still have a little longer before it is finished....but you are nearing the end. I would wait on the water change until you have 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites. The purpose of the water change is to remove the nitrates. This is of course assuming you are cycling with no living inverts or fish....nitrites can be lethal to both so a water change would be necessary.

 

[Smitty007j]

If I order the cuc online it will be a couple days till it gets here I think it should be good by then. I have a 90 gallon aquarium, protein skimmer and gfo/ carbon reactor. And fiji miracle mud.

 

[SloppyJ]

Nitrites should be undetectable. 10 days is too short.

 

[Smitty007j]

Ok ill wait.

 

[Reefing Madness]

I'd not do any water changes while cycling, you want as much ammonia and the other bacteria building up as possible, to sustain your system when the cycle is complete. Normal cycle takes 4-6 weeks.