Visible Nitrates but not cycled

[AquaApprentice]

I have a 55 Gallon right now with a Fluval 305 and an Emperor 400 on it -- I have been trying to cycle the tank but I am getting weird parameters now, I now have over 2.0 ppm of Ammonia, 1.0 ppm of Nitrite, and 10 ppm of Nitrate. For some reason I went from having no Nitrite and no Nitrates to having both but...for some reason my Ammonia never dissapeared after its spike, and the same happened with the Nitrites.

Ammonia spiked, Nitrites formed, Nitrite spiked, Nitrates formed...but still visible Ammonia, Nitrites, and Nitrates...

What to do? Do I need to do a water change, perhaps?

 

[Danger_Chicken]

How long has it been cycling? Let it run, the nitrates are a sign that it's getting there; add some old bio media or filter gook if you have another tank.

 

[True Love]

You may be adding too much ammonia. How are you cycling it?

 

[Spiritofthesoul]

Call your local water supply

 

[Laticauda]

There is an intermediary stage of cycling where you can possibly have all three showing up in the tank. Are you adding ammonia every day (in one form or another?) Are there fish in the tank?

This just indicates that you have SOME ammonia eating bugs, and SOME nitrIte eating bugs, but not enough to handle the full waste load introduced into the tank. Just give it time. If you don't have fish in the tank, then let it ride. If you have fish in the tank, then water changes and Prime are in order (and adding salt at 1 tsp. per gallon.)

 

[epond83]

Along with what others have said, what test are you using, some nitrate tests (seachem) can missread nitrates if there is nitrites in the water.

 

[R'OC]

just be patient for sure, cut back a lil, not much on your ammonia intro to the tank if any, it'll settle down