Tank Cycling question re: Nitrites

[Jorge Regula]

Ok im setting up a ten gallon planted tank as an upgrade for my existing 5 gallon PT. I had fish in the ten gallon for two weeks, took them out and its been sitting empty for a week. I added some new driftwood yesterday. I did collect it myself, i soaked it for a week and boiled it. I have had a betta in there since yesterday and he is still alive and showing no signs of stress. but the tests read...

Ammonia = 0
Nitrite = cranberry red (very very high)

As I've done the WC on the 5 gallon planted tank, ive added the old tankwater to the 10 to try and build up the same bacteria from the other tank. Could this have overloaded the tank, screwed the cycle? Maybe something in the driftwood?

Your thoughts MFK?

 

[hybridtheoryd16]

If the water in your 5g is good then it was not the added water. What ever it is do a major water change. Take the wood out and put it in a clean bucket of treated tap and check it before and a day after to see if its the wood or not. There is no way a single betta could put out that much waste in 24hrs.

 

[ShadowBass]

What kind of test are you using? API test only has blue and then shades of purple. NitrAtes have shades of orange-red. Below 40 is fine for nitrAtes.

Test your tapwater and maybe check again with a different type of test. If you do determine you actually have nitrites (and not in your tapwater) take the driftwood out and do large water changes until you get it to a safe level (.25).

As I've done the WC on the 5 gallon planted tank, ive added the old tankwater to the 10 to try and build up the same bacteria from the other tank.

I usually advise people not to add old tankwater for cycling because you're just adding nitrates to the new tank. The bacteria is largely on actual surfaces (your biomedia in your filter and the sides of the tank and substrate).
I test cycled several tanks using tank water and it had no effect on the time it took (1 to 1 1/2 months).
Adding substrate from another tank or filter media will help you along.