Cycle Question

[sterling18]

I'm cycling a 5 gallon nano tank.

It's been so long since I've setup a new aquarium without an established tank to seed.

I'm running bare bottom but I have a whisper in tank filter with carbon.

I've got about 3 lb of live rock.

I've got a question.

My tank passed the ammonia phase. I've reading 0 from two test kits and the Seachem Ammonia badge.

My Nitrite is at 2.0
My Nitrates are at 20.

It's been three three weeks since my ammonia went to 0.

Just curious if my readings are accurate for Nitrite. I don't remember it taking this long to 0 out.

 

[mike_cmu04]

It is probably right i would do a water change and see what it does to your levels

 

[sterling18]

It is probably right i would do a water change and see what it does to your levels

Is there anything that would give me false reading of Nitrites? Just curious. I've done a water change yesterday and no change. I thought if I removed 1/5 of the water, i would see a slight decrease.

 

[mike_cmu04]

It could be a bad test kit. How old is the kit you are using and what brand is it? To be sure you could take a water sample to your lfs and they could test it for you.

 

[sterling18]

I've got three nitrite test kits. One was bought a month ago, one was over a year ago and one in between. I used it to test fw, and fresh salt water. They came up negative.