# 60g cycle, zero amonia, 5 ppm Nitrite?



## ReStart (Jan 3, 2011)

Sorry to post so much this morning but I am off work and "playing aquarium".

I have have ten zebras in the 60 for the last week doing daily wc of 10 to 25 percent, testing twice daily. At first I was getting high ammonia, which I expected. Yesterday the ammonia started falling but Nitrite jumped, which I also expected. But this morning ammonia is zero, Nitrite 5 ppm, nitrates at about 10 ppm, total hardness at 50, total alkalinity low at 80 and PH at tad low at 6.6.

How can I have high nitrites with zero ammonia?

As my name implies, I am restarting the hobby and trying to learn a lot in a short time so this may be a silly question. I have studied the nitrogen cycle and can find no data that suggests the ammonia will drop to zero with high Nitrites.

I will continue to do partial wc while the nitrites are so high just to keep the zebras alive. They seem to be doing well, eating, chasing each other and even spawning.

The 60 has a Cascade 1000 (put a used hot filter pad from the 10g into it) and 34 watt cheap hood and a bunch of artificial plants with just a few live plants stuck up close to the light. I have had somewhat of a bacterial bloom (milky water) but am not too worried about that, hoping it is the good bacteria.


----------



## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

ReStart said:


> How can I have high nitrites with zero ammonia?


This is the second phase of the establishment - there are 2 types of nitrifying bacteria at work in your tank. Nitrosomona bacteria process ammonia (NH4) and generate nitrite (NO2). Nitrospira process nitrite (NO2) and generate nitrate (NO3). Your tank has a very well-established colony of nitrosomona which is consuming ALL the ammonia and flooding the tank with nitrite. The nitrospira bacteria are multiplying and colonizing the tank (the bacteria bloom), but they haven't entrenched themselves in your substrate and filter and really gotten to work yet. Once the bloom is over, your nitrite should zero out as well and your nitrates will jump up. At that point, you can ease off your daily water changes to once weekly or so, depending on your nitrate levels (try to keep them lower than 80 ppm, in my opinion).


----------



## ReStart (Jan 3, 2011)

Guy,

Thanks so much for the info. I guess just keep on with what I am doing and things will be fine soon. I hope it is soon as I am really looking forward to my semi-show Rainbow tank in my den.

I am going out of town for three days and my wife cannot manage the wc's. I will do a 25% tonight and a 10% in the morning before I leave. I will cross my fingers that nitrites don't go off the charts while I am gone. I've got to keep a careful balance between slowing the cycle and keeping the Zebras alive and mostly well. I hate using them like this but so far they seem fine. I'll make it up to them later. ;-)


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Don't be afraid to do a 50% change if it keeps remaining that high. Danios are tough, but I wouldn't test their strength.


----------



## Gizmo (Dec 6, 2010)

jrman83 said:


> Don't be afraid to do a 50% change if it keeps remaining that high. Danios are tough, but I wouldn't test their strength.


+1


----------



## verdifer (Sep 8, 2010)

your aiming for zero Amomia and zero nitrites, In an ideal world you would get zero Nitrates but this isn't an ideal world.

when your left with just nitrates thats you done the cycle.


----------



## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

While the tank is still cycling, a reading of 1 should be adequately safe for your fish. Sometimes it is very difficult to get it much lower.


----------

