Safe Nitrite levels cycling?

**Druime** · 01-10-2013, 02:11 AM

I began my fish-less cycle on Friday 1/4/13 I dosed to what I think was about 3ppm of ammonia in my 55 Gal tank. I say 3.0 because the color seemed to be between the 2.0 and 4.0 on the color chart of the APi master test kit I have. I tested it tonight and the ammonia levels are down to 0.5 so I tested the Nitrite levels and they seem to be at 5.0 or even higher, the test color looks more pink/red than even the 5.0 on the color chart. Is this something I should worry about? Or just leave it until it lowers back to 0 to complete the cycle?

Extra info I have heat to 80'f
and am running an Ehiem 2217 canister filter

**Lady Hobbs** · 01-10-2013, 02:27 AM

Leave it alone. If it had been there for two weeks and hadn't moved, then I would recommend a water change but you have just gotten started. Good job. It's moving along very nicely.

Make sure you cut ammonia level to one-half your starting dosage.

**Cliff** · 01-10-2013, 11:44 AM

+1 to the above.

Your cycle is coming along nicely. Give it some time. The nitrite eating bacteria will grow a lot slower than your ammonia eating bacteria did. Just maintain your ammonia to half of what you had it at before (as Lady Hobbs has suggested), but to not dose any ammonia until the level hits 0 ppm

Good job so far