Fishless cycle question - too much Nitrite

[Gideyon]

I'm doing a fishless cycle but encountering very high nitrites.  I can't tell the difference between the higher purples. It could even be above that.  

I read that if ammonia is too high, it can stall the cycle.  Can something similar happen to nitrites?   What about nitrates?  Both are extremely high.  

I don't want to do a water change if I don't have to. 

Any advice would be appreciated 

[Hobbit]

How long have you had your cycle running?

I had very high nitrites in my tubs without it hurting the cycle (at least as far as I could tell):

[Tihshho]

You were able to see the ammonia drop and the nitrites rise, correct? You might just be in one of those odd stages that just requires a little more waiting for the cycle to finish.

[Patrick_G]

I agree with @Tihshho, it sounds like you’re not quite there yet. Give it some time. 

[Jungle Fan]

How long has your tank been set up? And what is the size? Do you have plants in it already, or are you running a dark start? Are you using substrate that has added fertilizer in it?

With a dark start without plants I was letting it run for a total of 4 weeks without light, plants, or livestock; just filtration, substrate, hardscape, and heater, Prime added at the beginning, nothing else. No water change, no turning the lights on for checking. no re-arranging, nothing. After four weeks I drained the water for a 100% water change, planted, and turned the lights on. 50% water change every week now, ferts added after one week, invertebrates after two weeks, and fish after another week. Never an issue with ammonia cycle, or its products for over a year now and running.

[ARMYVET]

When I did my fishless cycle....needless to say there was an ooops and I accidentally dosed ammonia to well above 4ppm.....I ust let it ride.  I added Fritz 7 every other day and just let it go....then the ammonia started coming down and guess where the Nitrites went....You guessed it...they took off like my first wife🙄   I again just let it ride...3 weekslater I was zero ammonia and zero nitrites and nitrates were 20 or so an the plants were loving life.  Moral to the story....LET IT RIDE.  

[Gideyon]

Ammonia reached 2ppm on August 29. I I started getting nitrites last week. Ammonia was 0ppm on Saturday, but nitrates were very high in the reds. Nitrites were also very high. 

I had a drop in nitrites but I think that was an anomaly. Maybe a faulty test. Because after that, it went into the high purples again. 

I figured the nitrites would be around the same amount as the ammonia.  But it's a lot higher. 

But one thing to note... When I said I "reached" 2ppm ammonia, I was having problems detecting ammonia. I added over 40 drops of Dr Tim's, but only got 0.5ppm.   I thought maybe an issue with my substrate and KH.   So I put 2.5 tsp of baking soda. Finally after adding 20 drops, I got 2ppm..   I don't know if those ammonia drops that didn't register initially were released and converted.  Driving up the nitrites and eventually the nitrates. 

It's a 10g with no plants.   Baked clay substrate (3")

So if the high nitrites and nitrates won't stall anything, I'll "let it ride" 

Thanks for the input