# Help with high nitrites - fishless cycle week 1



## eutimio (Aug 22, 2012)

It's the 5th day of my fishless cycle today and nitrites went up the roof.
I added 5ppm ace janitorial ammonia on Tuesday
I added some filter media from the LFS on Tuesday too so that helped a lot.
The nitrite spiked 24 hrs ago and now it is a very dark purple on my test which it's way over 5ppm

Tested before WC
Ammonia 1ppm
Nitrite>5ppm

Performed a 20% WC to lower the nitrites because I heard it can actually stall the cycle and tested again after 4 hrs .
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrite >5 ppm
So what should I do?after a WC the nitrite didn't drop at all?am I over testing and stressing too much?
I got a few plants in the tank(anubias,crypts,vals,hornwort)
Not my first tank to cycle, def my first experience of this kind.
Any insight is much appreciated!


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## GTZ (Apr 21, 2010)

Daily partial water changes up to 30% until nitrite is 5ppm or lower, then redose ammonia to 2-3ppm (5ppm is too high). 
Keep in mind that we're still trying to convert 2-3ppm ammonia within 24 hours before we can begin to look at nitrite conversion.

http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/f ... _cycle.php


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## Nate821 (May 26, 2013)

Plants and water changes should help a lot.


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## eutimio (Aug 22, 2012)

thanks guys *** changed the water every other day and added 2 ppm of ammonia in between ...the nitrites dropped over night from deep purple to blue.the tank was cycled in less than 2 weeks.thanks again for the advice


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