cycling question...not lance armstrong!

[comfort_racing]

hey, after a week of having 80 pounds of live rock my ammonia level went to zero and my nitrites sky rocketted. normal i know, part of the cycle. the question i have is i am going into my second week of high nitrites..is this normal or should it have gone to zero as fast as the ammonia had gone (1 week) or is it ok and normal for the nitrites to take a little longer? does it indicate anything bad?

 

[reeftanker04]

That should be par for the course. It will continue to run the course and you'll be ok shortly.

 

[comfort_racing]

ok, because it is up around 8 or 9 right now. thanks, and nice avatar!

 

[Azial]

It's happened every time in a tank that I have owned. The Ammonia spiked and started to drop after a week or two followed by a nitrite spike that was roughly twice as long. Just give it time.

 

[comfort_racing]

ok, i just dont want to screw this up...alot of money invested in rock...atleast to me

 

[Lotus99]

My nitrites went sky-high, stayed that way for about 10 days, then dropped fast. I think you'll be fine.

 

[comfort_racing]

great! nice to hear from ya again lotus99...notice how i went from cocky to nervous in less than a week!

 

[scowiii]

Do you still do water changes to bring the nitrates down>?

 

[comfort_racing]

No, i was told and also read that only the first week to do water changes and only enough to vacuum up detrious from the bottom of the tank and no more than 20% at that. just let things take their natural course. i do them still about once a week, but no detrious is falling anymore so they are less and less now.