nitrite not climbing

[chandigz]

Your cycle will very depending on stocking levels, how much live rock you have or if you are using a lot of bacterial suppliments. In a tank with a small amount or no live rock your cycle may go something like this. Your ammonia will probably spike around the 10 to 14 day period then it should drop as it is converted to nitrite. As your ammonia drops you will see the biggest rise in nitrite. Your nitrite will spike around the 21 to 24 day period when it will drop as it is converted finally to nitrate. I have had tanks with a lot of live rock, established sand, and bacterial suppliments go thru an extremely short soft almost undetectable cycle.

Good rule of thumb: Full cycle 30+ days. Fully established 6+ months.

You will usually also go thru an 'algae' cycle to. Brown surface(diatom) then green surface, then hair algae(sometime), finally controlled or no algae.

Most importantly be patient. Slow down. Take things slow. The only thing that will happen fast if you try to rush things are problems.