Nitrite and Nitrates ... AGAIN?

Long story short I set my tank up a month ago 24g JBJ nano. I cycled it with live rock and live sand. added hermits after 2.5 weeks ... 1 week with ammonia nitrite and nitrate all at 0, added a feather duster few days ago and my ammonia spiked initally but my nitrites and nitrates are kinda elevated, ph is also elevated for a few days now, the crabs and duster seem fine. I did a 20% water change and there still high. Levels are Nitrite .5 Nitrate 20 PH is 8.4 (usually 8.0)Thoughts? I'm also noticing some green algae growth on the back of the tank.

 

For whatever reason your tank is still cycling, 1 month old that is to be expected.

The algae on the back is also part of a normal cycle when you run the lights during the cycle.

Just need to let the biological filter grow more.

pH of 8.0-8.4 is also normal in a cycling tank.

Sorry all normal for a cycling tank.

 

I did move the tank from my dresser to its stand about a week ago but made sure to leave the rock in water and didn't disturb the sand bed ... Perhaps that increased the cycle time? I also used about 7lbs of live rock and 20lbs of dry rock.

 

agreed just keep the levels at the low end for the critters and you should be good to go

 

Have you been continually adding some sort of food to the tank??

 

Not sure what you mean? I ghost fed the tank thru the original spike but when it stopped I stopped. The hermits seemed to be eating the algae on the rocks and the sand.

 

Once you stopped ghost feeding the bacteria dies unless you have fish this is the reason you keep cycling.Hermits do not produce enough or the right kind of waste to sustain the bacteria (unless you are feeding them meaty foods)and this is obviously the problem.I would suggest starting to ghost feed again and wait for the cycle to finish then either add some fish or continue to ghost feed.

 

... Thanks, once nitrite is 0 I'll add my fish.