Nitrite Very High - Page 3

Grasor · 01-04-2012, 07:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AllieLovesFishies

If I were you I would do at least a 50% water change immitately, are your fish still even alive? Thats absoultely crazy, I've never heard of it being that high. Another tip (if the fish are still living) is to lay off on feeding the fish untill the level drops, also if you have stress relieving stuff, add it. I hope I may have helped

No can do, I have to cease the water changes (see above!). Fishes look fine, the Mollies & Platys are apparently really resilient. Aquarium salt is helping too I believe.

beaslbob · 01-04-2012, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grasor

I retested my tap water today w/ the API Master Kit and it indicated 1.0-2.0 ppm Ammonia. I think this explains, at least in part, why Nitrites are so high all the time as there is plenty of Ammonia to go around and the Nitrite -> Nitrate bacteria haven't grown enough to control it.

Should I attempt to render the tap water free of Ammonia via Ammo-Lock or proceed as normal? I checked my county's municipal water quality report and they use Ammonia to form Chloramines which they use to keep the water clean for us humans so it sounds "normal" for it to be in muni tap water.

don't add the ammonia lock. the problem is that with most test kits you still test ammonia so you can get in a cycle of adding more and so on. And ammonia lock also lock up oxygen so when overdosed you can suffocate the fish.

Grasor · 01-25-2012, 08:23 PM

Update: Looks like the tank has cycled. Ammonia and Nitrites both hit zero on 1/13/11 (28 days after start) and have remained that way through today, 1/25/12 (40 Days after start).

The trick seemed to be stop the water changes totally and feed every other day. I also added 20ml of NutriCycle and a dose of BioZyme at every water change then a couple times after I stopped the water changes. I did not experience a bacterial bloom during this cycle.

Attached is a screen shot of my Water Quality Logbook w/ graph. Maybe it will help others.

jrman83 · 01-25-2012, 09:52 PM

Water changes have absolutely nothing to do with anything but saving your fish during a cycle if the levels get to those usually associated with dead fish.. If your fish can handle it, it is better not to do them. Higher levels dri ve things to occur at a quicker rate. Unless you're using fish you don't care about, usually it is best to do them. Fish exposed to long term high levels sometimes don't live very long either. Doing all this with lots of water changes just takes patience, but your fish will remain healthy longer usually.

beaslbob · 01-26-2012, 11:14 AM

So basically your ammonia had already dropped down but nitrItes probably pegged your test kit at 10ppm. Then a week after stopping water changes, feeding less or not feeding, and a few days after adding biozme nitrItes dropped to 0.

That seems to agree with my experience. Which is why I now plant the tank wait a week, then add 1 fish and don't feed for a week. With that method I get low to no ammonia and nitrIte spikes with an initial nitrate spike. Then after 3-4 weeks nitrates drop down as well. FWIW it does take phosphates longer to drop down.

Nice graph.

and my .02

jrman83 · 01-26-2012, 11:54 AM

I wasn't aware that you used biozyme. API test only go as high as 5ppm.

Performing water changes would have at most delayed the completion of the cycle, nothing more.

gar1948 · 01-26-2012, 03:42 PM

I would suggest at least a 25% water change every few days and cut back on feeding. I use purigen in my filter. It does a good job of controlling ammonia, nitrites and nitrates.

King James · 01-31-2012, 01:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Grasor

All I did to help control bloom was change 5 gallons of water and add Biozyme on 12/6 then waited it out.

Like I said the water tested fine on 12/8. I waited out the bloom until water was very clear just feeding a little bit twice a day.

I tested the water again today and found the high nitrite. What caused this?

Major water change like someone else said at least 70% now and I change water almost daily while I am cycling, don't know if your tank is cycled or not yet, but if not change water often and test everyday if you are in the danger zone for sure. Good luck!

01-25-2012, 08:23 PM	#43 (permalink)
Grasor Grasor's Photo Gallery Join Date: Dec 2011 Posts: 28 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 0 Times Said "Thanks" 8 Times Was Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Re: Nitrite Very High Update: Looks like the tank has cycled. Ammonia and Nitrites both hit zero on 1/13/11 (28 days after start) and have remained that way through today, 1/25/12 (40 Days after start). The trick seemed to be stop the water changes totally and feed every other day. I also added 20ml of NutriCycle and a dose of BioZyme at every water change then a couple times after I stopped the water changes. I did not experience a bacterial bloom during this cycle. Attached is a screen shot of my Water Quality Logbook w/ graph. Maybe it will help others. __________________ 37 Gallon Aqueon Bow Front Tank Tropical Freshwater Fish in Tank 2 Mollies 1 Platy Fish in the Ground 3 Mollys 2 Platys 1 Algae Eater

01-25-2012, 09:52 PM	#44 (permalink)
jrman83 ....has no life.... jrman83's Photo Gallery Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 9,468 Name: Ben Location: White Plains, MD My location Feedback: 16 / 100% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 3,396 Times Said "Thanks" 478 Times Was Thanked 2,431 Times in 2,286 Posts	Re: Nitrite Very High Water changes have absolutely nothing to do with anything but saving your fish during a cycle if the levels get to those usually associated with dead fish.. If your fish can handle it, it is better not to do them. Higher levels dri ve things to occur at a quicker rate. Unless you're using fish you don't care about, usually it is best to do them. Fish exposed to long term high levels sometimes don't live very long either. Doing all this with lots of water changes just takes patience, but your fish will remain healthy longer usually.

01-26-2012, 11:14 AM	#45 (permalink)
beaslbob beaslbob's Photo Gallery Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 3,325 My location Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 339 Times Said "Thanks" 32 Times Was Thanked 835 Times in 761 Posts	Re: Nitrite Very High So basically your ammonia had already dropped down but nitrItes probably pegged your test kit at 10ppm. Then a week after stopping water changes, feeding less or not feeding, and a few days after adding biozme nitrItes dropped to 0. That seems to agree with my experience. Which is why I now plant the tank wait a week, then add 1 fish and don't feed for a week. With that method I get low to no ammonia and nitrIte spikes with an initial nitrate spike. Then after 3-4 weeks nitrates drop down as well. FWIW it does take phosphates longer to drop down. Nice graph. and my .02 __________________ fw leiden since 1979, fo salt since 1979, mixed reef 55g 2002-2009. Strong emphasis on the tank taking care of itself. Balanced with plant life, no water changes, tap water, no filters in FW. Only dosing calcium, alk, mag in marine reef tanks. http://www.aquariumforum.com/f15/my-...ods-26410.html recent tanks (till 2009) 7 years- 10g FW leiden 7 yrs, 55g mixed reef 7, 2 yrs, 20g FW leiden, 10 g fw leiden , 29g mixed reef, current tank 55g leiden

01-26-2012, 11:54 AM	#46 (permalink)
jrman83 ....has no life.... jrman83's Photo Gallery Join Date: Jul 2010 Posts: 9,468 Name: Ben Location: White Plains, MD My location Feedback: 16 / 100% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 3,396 Times Said "Thanks" 478 Times Was Thanked 2,431 Times in 2,286 Posts	Re: Nitrite Very High I wasn't aware that you used biozyme. API test only go as high as 5ppm. Performing water changes would have at most delayed the completion of the cycle, nothing more.

01-26-2012, 03:42 PM	#47 (permalink)
gar1948 gar1948's Photo Gallery Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 66 Feedback: 0 / 0% Said "Welcome to Aquarium Forum" 9 Times Said "Thanks" 26 Times Was Thanked 16 Times in 16 Posts	Re: Nitrite Very High I would suggest at least a 25% water change every few days and cut back on feeding. I use purigen in my filter. It does a good job of controlling ammonia, nitrites and nitrates.

Members currently in the chatroom: 4
	The most chatters online in one day was 16, 03-02-2012. Vampa, Euruproctos, majerah1, TaylorM237

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)