Testing question during cycle?

[rfrain01]

I have been set up and running for 2 weeks. I have had an ammonia spike and am still testing ammonia. I am currently sitting at .50 ppm for the past few days. And at 20 ppm in nitrate. I am at 0 ppm and have always been at 0ppm for nitrite. I am confused on how this is happening I thought the steps where ammonia-nitrite-nirate, I am lost how I never test any nitrite? Is this normal in some weird way? Any help from the pros would be great thank you!

[jimmy frag]

wait it out for a couple more weeks, the tank water will cycle fully

[rfrain01]

Ok cool so just stop testing for a few weeks then come back and check it out them?

[Ron Reefman]

Keep testing and write down your results. The practice testing is always a good thing. You'll get into a ritual and do it the same way every time. Also you'll see what, if anything the tank does. I've been involved in the hobby for over 7 years now and I test every other week and keep all the results in a spreadsheet on my computer. I almost always know what the numbers will be, but do it anyway. I have quit testing for ammonia and nitrite as they are always zero. So is nitrate, but if something goes wrong in the tank, that one will still show me there is a problem. Our local club is kicking around the idea of a 'testing' meeting. Everybody brings whatever test kits they want (any or all) and we will provide the test water. We will log in everybody's results by person and by test kit brand. The sample water will also go to a local lab for testing so we can compare. It should be interesting.