What the heck is going on with this cycle?

[Pixburgh]

So, as i've posted many times already - we're cycling our first saltwater tank. We use an API test kit.

Since 5/28 (11 days now) our testing results have been the same. Ammonia 0-.25ppm, Nitrites over 5.0ppm, and Nitrates 10.0ppm.

My question is, why? I know patience is key here but i've always been able to see a difference in results every couple days (nitrites climbing while ammonia decreases, nitrates starting to build) and now everything is just stopped. I'd asked this before but couldn't find anyone that knew about it - if my nitrItes are over 5.0ppm can this stall my cycle? Dr tims website says not to allow them to climb over 5.0 and i've seen other forums briefly mention it. I'm just not sure what it does, does it actually stall the cycle or does it just take longer? I'm ok with waiting, honest. I just don't want to ignore a problem if there is one when I could easily just do a small water change to bring my nitrites back down to readable levels and have it restart that way.

Please please please help veterans.

 

[Reefing Madness]

Your not suposed to see any difference in just a few days, as a normal cycle will take up to 6 weeks or more, small changes are just not going to happen over nite. You'll even get to a point where you have no Ammonia, but those pesky Nitrites won't go away. It'll happen, and everyones tank cycles differently, its a waiting game, all is going normally.

 

[CastAway]

...all is going normally.

+1 My cycle took about a month, Nitrite peaks last, and takes a while. Suggest you don't do a water change, just let it brew. Are you cycling with a shrimp or something? Dr. Tims?

 

[Pete polyp]

+1 My cycle took about a month, Nitrite peaks last, and takes a while. Suggest you don't do a water change, just let it brew. Are you cycling with a shrimp of something? Dr. Tims?

+1
Information about how your cycling and what's in the tank will be helpful. What did you use for the ammonia source? Bottled bacteria? Dry or live rock?

On a side more the parameters you have listed seem typical for being 11 days old.

 

[Pixburgh]

My tank isn't 11 days old, just been 11 days since i've seen any changes. In 5 days it will be a month since I added bacteria (5/14 is when i added). Used Dr. Tim's with ammonium chloride to feed. It wasn't normal to see changes every few days? That's what was happening. Thought that was a good thing, my cycle was progressing. Either way, I guess it means everything is ok. I just have 2 more weeks to wait.

 

[CastAway]

There needs to be a continual source of ammonia. Although it's called a "cycle", it never stops, it just finds an equilibrium. Things may have stalled out. We'll see what the experts say.....

 

[Reefing Madness]

Castaway is correct. Gotta keep dosing the ammonia if thats what you started with. Its not a one time thing, if it was, then your cycle would be short, and the first fish you added would start it right back up.