Nitrite reading confusion!

100percentmaybe

My first tank (20gallon) seems to be nearing the end of cycling.

As of ten seconds ago:

Ammonia - .25ppm (*happydance* it dropped from yesterday's reading of 1)
Nitrate - 20ppm
pH - 7-8 (I haven't tested it in a few days)

Problem: I cannot understand my nitrite reading. It's this purple color that does not appear on the chart...it's a lighter purple than the 2.0 and 5.0 colors, but it is super BRIGHT so it doesn't match with the lower readings. I feel like it has to be somewhat low b/c nitrite is obviously being converted into nitrate...

Mystery.

I'll just do my ammonia happydance again and hope the color changes later tonight so that I can buy fish at the end of the week when I get paid!

leogtr

hey there!

how did you cycle the tank? what test kit are you using?

100percentmaybe

Well, it started out with 3 cories in it but they died b/c I messed up and didn't cycle it before I added them :o(

So I kept adding food to finish cycling.

I've got the API master test kit.

leogtr

yeah when you do the cycle with fish they there will be casualties and most of the time they all die, even the hardy fish. I suggest that you cycle the aquarium with frozen shrimp. I cycled my 20 gallon aquarium with a 1 inch shrimp and it all worked out great the aquarium cycled in about 3 weeks. I did a fishless cycle so if you have any fish left take them out and take them back to the store or put them in an established take or something before they die your nitrite levels are really really high an soon they will die because those levels are way past toxic.

that the test kit we all use here so its a good one!

100percentmaybe

Oh so it is just nitrite off the chart high?

No fish left... :o/

I was hoping everything was going to level out soon...do I need to add a shrimp even if it is halfway through?

Steph211

I just finished cycling my tank with fish. I'd never heard of a fishless cycle and apparently I had the wrong fish for it too (4ADFs, 5 cardinal tetras, and a betta), but NONE of them died. Not one! I used Seachem's Prime which is fantastic stuff. It's a water conditioner but it also detoxifies ammonia and nitrties. My nitrite readings were off the chart too. I did pwc's every day or every other day when the nitrites started to spike. Just an FYI for you.

100percentmaybe

Glad your fish made it through! I was sad when my cories died...they were really playful. How much water do you think think I should change out?

Steph211

When my nitrites were super high I was changing out 50% daily per the instructions of several very informed people on this forum.