Please help

[phild]

Hey all, I have been reading this board for a few months now and have finally run across a problem I have not found here.
I have a new 90 gallon reef ready bow front fish only tank that I have been cycling since early december. The overflow is filled with bio balls. I have crushed coral, a wet/dry, skimmer and UV sterlizer (neither are on 'till the tank is ready per lfs guy.)
I have been cycling the tank with damsels (I now know the controversy with this, didn't when I got them.) I am down to 4 now. Started with 10. I have left a few of the not so fortunate souls in the tank per the lfs guy to "assist in the cycle." I was also over feeding them per the lfs guy. I have recently stopped this though.
I have also had a lot of brown algea all over everything that I have been removing with a turkey baster and sucking as much up as I can with a hose.
Ok, here is the deal, my amonia spiked a few weeks ago and is now back down to 0. pH is 7.7, salinity is around 24. However, the nitrite has peaked off the scale and remained that way for well over 2 weeks now. Is this normal? Is there something that is causing this that I can fix? I know patience is something is necessary to have a heathly tank, but should my tank take this long to cycle?
Also, the lfs guy said I could bleach my corals (they are dead) to get rid of the discoloration the algea has caused. I just do not think that bleaching things with clorox is a good thing regardless of how much it is rinsed. Is this something that I should do? Is there another way to clean them?
Sorry this is so long, but I thought too much info is better than not enough. Thanks in advance!

 

[ebeckels]

first off...raise ur PH to 8.2...i can't remember if u have a DSB if not...it's a good idead to get one. That will help with nitrates. Do you have a refugium or sump? They can also help. any cleanup crew...not a bad idea to get one when the trates go down a little.

 

[jonthefb]

Water changes water changes waterchanges! I also agree that you should try to get your pH up to 8.2-8.4. 7.7 is quite low. THis is easily done by adding some kind of buffer to your water. But to get rid of nitrates try to do a 10-15% water change once a week until you start to see the nitrates go down!!!

 

[broomer5]

Your tank is still cycling.
I would not suggest water changes at this time.
This is a very delicate time of your tank cycle, and aside from slowly raising your pH with buffers - I would not do anything except reduce feeding and increase water circulation if possible.
Overfeeding or adding new critters to a cycling tank, or recently cycled tank can cause large fluctuations, and most will agree, should certainly be avoided.
Overfeeding may cause other bacteria populations in your tank to flourish, that may displace some of the nitrifying bacteria that you are wanting to reproduce during this cycling time. This may allow for an increase in nitrite levels to such high levels as you indicated, and may continue to build up faster than they can be consumed.
I'd remove any dead damsels as well
I agree with Baron VonKlyff, and that is sad that your LFS even suggested leaving dead fish in your tank. Even if they are "just" damsels - still a once living creature that we should take responsibility for at time of purchase