OK...5 weeks into a fishless cycle on a 90 gallon aquarium. About 15 or 16 days in, the ammonia dropped to zero and nitrites spiked just as expected. I've dosed pure ammonia to 1-2 ppm every night. The next day after work the ammonia reads 0 ppm.
Here's what I don't understand. My nitrites have been in the 5+ ppm area since they spiked about 3 weeks ago (tested water is a bright purple with a slight pink in it). I've done four partial water changes of about 25% and not seen any change in the nitrite reading. Tonite, about 2 hours ago, I did a 75% water change. I just tested again and my nitrite reading is the exact same as the reading before the PWC. How is that possible?
The water temp is at 85 degrees with plenty of airation from an FX5 filter. I test my water straight out of the tap and it has no measurable nitrite.
I'm baffled. For what its worth I'm testing with a new API Master kit.
Here's what I don't understand. My nitrites have been in the 5+ ppm area since they spiked about 3 weeks ago (tested water is a bright purple with a slight pink in it). I've done four partial water changes of about 25% and not seen any change in the nitrite reading. Tonite, about 2 hours ago, I did a 75% water change. I just tested again and my nitrite reading is the exact same as the reading before the PWC. How is that possible?
The water temp is at 85 degrees with plenty of airation from an FX5 filter. I test my water straight out of the tap and it has no measurable nitrite.
I'm baffled. For what its worth I'm testing with a new API Master kit.