Hey all, this is my first time posting on here so go easy on me! Also new with saltwater in general, but I have been freshwater fish keeping for a few years, I know, apples to oranges. But I’m in the middle of cycling my tank, it has been going since middle of December. I started with dry rock, live caribsea sand, dr Tim’s one and only, and the shrimp method, which now I know is not the best way but you live and learn. First week ammonia spiked to 1ppm then I put another shrimp in and went to 2ppm second week, 3rd week ammonia disappeared. At this point I did go buy pure ammonia and dosed again to 2ppm and was gone 2 days later. But since then my nitrites have not even budged and is a deep dark purple on the api kit, Nitrates as well register 100+ but I heard nitrites can give a false positive for the nitrate test with api. I have just now gotten diatoms in the past week and def are taking over the tank. I did a 50% water change yesterday after someone told me high nitrites can stall the cycle but the numbers are still 5+ on the api test, as well as nitrates being 100+. I guess I’m just lost and not sure if there is anything I can do to help the process. Patience I know is key, but as you all know it sucks lol. So my overall question is; is it normal for nitrites to be almost unmeasurable for 9 weeks? Are nitrates that high or is it just the high nitrites causing a false positive? Anything I should do, or NOT do?
parameters are
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 5+
nitrate 100+?!
ph 8
Phosphate 0
Thanks guys!
parameters are
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 5+
nitrate 100+?!
ph 8
Phosphate 0
Thanks guys!