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Ok, it's been like this for a week.
No ammonia, Nitrite 5ppm+, Nitrate 20-30ppm

Water temp 76F
pH 8.1
250 gal IBC (220 actual)

How long will this take?

I've done 15% water changes to dilute the nitrite, twice, within a 24 hour period. And still no change.

Really?

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Hey, Randall, thanks for the reply. I am cycling with fish. I've stopped feeding 5 day ago. That's what is so puzzling. The nitrite spike happened almost overnight. I just can't seem to budge it back down, at all. The fish seem to be ok. Active, wanting to feed...the water clarity is perfect. Maybe I'm still populating my growbeds?

Sounds normal to me.  The second phase of establishing bacteria (consumers of nitrite) is the slowest.  It may take up to six weeks to be completely cycled.

Well, that of course was my biggest concern, as I have stock fish on the way. Someone along the line mentioned that

above 7.5pH Nitrite may not huirt the fish? Any comments?

Search nitrite and you will find some info from Vlad on salting to mitigate damage to fish.  Salting and water changes are your only hope, so far as I know.  Also, you should find the levels which are likely to harm your fish.  7.5 seems like a death sentence to me. 

The good news is that once you are cycled, provided you have enough bio filter, nitrite will never again be a concern.  I stopped testing for it a long time ago.

I killed most of my fish with nitrite early on so definitely take it seriously.  I was stocked with bluegill and catfish and almost all of the catfish died but about half the bluegill survived so risk varies by species.  

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