Fish Only tank cycling with NO ammonia spike

[psuguy]

Hi, new to the forum. I have a freshly started 60 gallon fish only tank. Canister filer, 60 ponds of sand, decorations but No rock. I added Instant Ocean marine Bio-Spira after a couple of days. All readings were great (PH - 8.0 Temp 80% Ammonia 0 Nitrite and Nitrate 0 Salinity in range). I added 3 yellow tail damsels per the advice of my LFS and they have been healthy and happy for a week. I have tested the water each day and the ammonia never went up. However, the nitrite is now at 2ppm and the PH is down a bit to 7.8. Why would the nitrite go up when the ammonia did not? BTW.. the fish still appear fine.

 

[mjtech12]

Hi welcome to the Obsession,
you wont have ammonia spikes you don't have enough fish in the tank so when the fish eat and poop( Hahaha I said poop) it immediately turns to nitrite its in the cycle process your damsels are hardy and you might not even see any change to them, just remember its in a cycle nitrite will turn to nitrate you have about 4-6 more weeks maybe longer you only have 3 fish, bio-spira is good to add the fish right away and to get the tank started but it still has to cycle try to add some live rock it will help the process along good luck