Nitrite for 14 days?

[Joeyb1731]

I put 14 pounds of live rock in my 12 gallon tank 15 days ago. Overnight ammonia went up high and by morning I was showing Nitrites. Now I still am showing 5.0 nitrites 15 days later, It has increased from under 1.0 nitrites in the first day to now 5.0 for about 4 days. Is this normal?

 

[Joeyb1731]

Make that 16 days

 

[Lotus]

The nitrite spike is usually the longest. I'd say it's fairly normal.

 

[Joeyb1731]

ok, well I havnt really been feeding the tank with any ammonia source, so I think that might be why its taking a while, I just got a bottle of biospira and im dumping that in, then im gonna put some food in there everyday, so hopefully it will speed it up, im getting a little impatient. But i still wanna do it right, so no fish untill its truly time

 

[Yandapanda]

You can feed the tank instead of adding chemicals. A pinch every other day should do it. Are you seeing any animal growth on your rocks yet?

 

[Joeyb1731]

Im seeing alot of green and purple, the only living things ive seen is I have alot of pods on my rock, glass and sand but thats about all ive seen. I put the bio-spira in last night and have been adding food. My tank is definitly breaking down ammonia because I tested just not and I have No ammonia and ive been feeding it for days. My nitrite also is much lighter then before and I have about 20 ppm nitrates. So im thinking im just about through this cycle.

 

[Joeyb1731]

My tank finished cycling today !!! Finally

 

[Lotus]

Congratulations!