Stuck Cycle?

So I took a sample of my water to the lfs to make sure my readings were right, that will be a week ago tomorrow. Everything looks good, but the nitrites and nitrates are looking like they are at peak, 4 and 40, and they haven't budged one point since that test last Friday. Is it normal to not see any movement at all in these numbers for a week?

 

What is the ammonia level? Nitrite at 4 and nitrates at 40? 40 seems impossibly high for nitrates for a cycling tank just a week in.

Are you using fish to cycle the tank?

 

The cycle is almost 5 weeks in. I'm just saying the this part of the cycle has been going on for a week. Everything is at 0 except for nitrite and nitrate.

 

Nitrates are 40? My first instinct would be to do a water change, but wait for someone with more experience to chime in.

 

I'm no expert here, but nitrates at 40 during a tank cycle isn't unusual. What's unusual, or at least what I'm trying to focus my question on, is the length of time the nitrites and nitrates have been stuck at their respective levels. Again, is it normal for them to stay at these levels for a week?

 

Yes. Perfectly normal. Sorry I misunderstood the original post.

 

No worries, the help is very much appreciated. Any idea when I might see a change? Seeing those same numbers every day is getting a little old.

 

It could depend on a bunch of variables. I think 14 weeks is about the limit, though. Try to be patient if you can.

It's absolutely impossible for a cycle not to finish.

 

I keep telling my daughter, "maybe next week honey". She really wants to get a fish. Arg!

 

have you tried lowering them chemically? when my nitrates/nitrites are high, i use AmQuel +. It works really well