Nitrites not Moving?

[Kasey Grohowski]

Day 9 of my cycle. Ammonia was at .5 yesterday and today I dosed back up to 2. Nitrites have been at 2-5 since day 3 of my cycle. Still havent dropped, unlike ammonia which goes down about .5-1 a day. Nitrates are high 60ish. Just wondering when nitrites should start dropping. 220 gallon tank.

 

[Lukas75]

Typically ammonia will drop off first, then nitrites will drop off. 9 days in is nothing for a cycle.

 

[Kasey Grohowski]

Typically ammonia will drop off first, then nitrites will drop off. 9 days in is nothing for a cycle.

Should I stop dosing ammonia? I added a lot of bacteria to the tank. Was expecting a cycle in 2 weeks

 

[Lukas75]

Should I stop dosing ammonia? I added a lot of bacteria to the tank. Was expecting a cycle in 2 weeks

You're going to need to continue to add a food source for the bacteria much like a fish will, they constantly excrete ammonia from their gills. When the system is consuming what you are adding then it is ready. Don't try to rush things, nothing good happens fast in a reef tank. That having been said, that would also depend on how much you are dosing. If you're pouring it in then back off a little bit, if you are adding it at the recommended dosage then patience.

 

[lapin]

Feed and wait. A normal cycle, even with bacteria can take 4 to 6 weeks. This will give you time to get ready for the big water change coming, to get rid of all the nitrate. The cycle is on going. For a tank to mature, it will take about a year. In that year a lot of changes in the bacteria and algae population will occur as you add coral, fish and other foreign objects.