need help! Tank stalled on nitrite

[KentuckyReefer]

I have a 55 gallon reef tank. About 45lbs of dry rock added. 20 gallons in sump. Around 40lbs live sand. Ammonia is at 0ppm, nitrite is off the chart, nitrate is around 20ppm. Saw the ammonia spike and it went down. Now nitrite will not go down. I no that notoriety is not harmful unless in large quantities, but I am concerned my tank is stalled. What can I do to it this? I have added bio-spira and some other nitrifying bacteria products.

Should I do a water change? Dose ammonia?


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[tyler1503]

I would try a new test kit to start with. You may have a bad nitrite kit. What kits are you using?
How long has it been like that for?

If nitrite won't drop at all after another few days and the levels have been confirmed with another test kit, I'd do water changes to lower nitrite start the ammonia source again. It's better to be safe and attempt the initial cycle again, than have it possibly crash in 6 months because it didn't cycle properly to start with.

 

[KentuckyReefer]

I would try a new test kit to start with. You may have a bad nitrite kit. What kits are you using?
How long has it been like that for?

If nitrite won't drop at all after another few days and the levels have been confirmed with another test kit, I'd do water changes to lower nitrite start the ammonia source again. It's better to be safe and attempt the initial cycle again, than have it possibly crash in 6 months because it didn't cycle properly to start with.

I am using API test kits. Plan on getting better ones in the very near future. All the lfs had at the time. The nitrites were around
2ppm about a week or so ago. But now the test kit is almost pink it's so purple. Has been this way for the past few days. I was under the impression the the nitrites should drop within a day or so if it was cycling properly.

 

[KentuckyReefer]

I would try a new test kit to start with. You may have a bad nitrite kit. What kits are you using?
How long has it been like that for?

If nitrite won't drop at all after another few days and the levels have been confirmed with another test kit, I'd do water changes to lower nitrite start the ammonia source again. It's better to be safe and attempt the initial cycle again, than have it possibly crash in 6 months because it didn't cycle properly to start with.[/QUOTE

Also I tested a friends aquarium and his levels were correct