Nitrites off the charts...please help

[albionpo]

Well, I've read a lot of threads & done a lot of searches here and from what I understand I should NEVER do a water change while I'm still cycling...so I'm on the backside of my cycle now and here are the readings:
AMMO = 0
TRITE = Off the charts ( my chart goes to 25, it's off the LFS chart too)
TRATE = 0
So...anyway, I don't want to mess anything up by doing a water change but my LFS tells me that's exactly what I should do...to give the trates a chance to catch up with the trites. What do ya'll think? I've got no problem being patient & waiting for the process to finish but they tell me that this extremely high nitrites isn't normal, even through a cycle. Should I do a small water change? I'm 5 weeks into the cycle, running an Emperor 400, Little bit LR and a LSB. Please help point me in the right direction here, Thanks!

 

[mr . salty]

I would not do a water change...Just wait it out....Other than LR/LS,,,what are you using as an ammonia sorce for your cycle??? If there are no fish or other sorce of ammonia,I would suggest you put a piece of fresh(Cocktail type)shrimp into the tank...This will possibly speed things up a bit...
[ October 07, 2001: Message edited by: MR . SALTY ]

 

[albionpo]

Hi Mr. Salty...Thanks for the reply. Yep. I've had two green chromis in there since the start ( used to be three but one passed on in the beginning of the AMMO spike )So they've been working the cycle for me but the LFS says the TRITES being so high that the TRATES probably won't even show up till I do a little water change to lower the TRITES a bit...I definitely trust your advice though, before I'd trust theirs so if you say wait it out, I'm waiting...What say you? Anyone else have .02?? Thanks again...
BTW: Ammo HAS spiked already & dropped to 0 so I'm sure this is the downside of the cycle but the TRITES have been off the charts ( 25 or higher ) for two weeks now...
[ October 07, 2001: Message edited by: Albionpo ]

 

[mr . salty]

Try taking a water sample to another store for a comparison test...Just a thought that these readings may/may not be correct...

 

[nm reef]

Another .02.....well I'd follow salty's advise.........wait it out & get another set of tests done.....sounds rather unusual to have nitrites so high with ammonia 0 and no nitrates.............but from what I know a water change will up-set the cycle...............

 

[albionpo]

Okay. Thanks for the advice, guys. Just tested on my kit again and got a Nitrite reading of 25 or higher again...so I'll try taking it somewhere else. I guess I'm just going to have to be patient and wait this thing out!!