Nitrites and Nitrates high (another thread))

[love2fishfork]

Originally Posted by beaslbob

my guess is that you're pegging the kit at the highest reading.

try 100% dilution of the test sample with distilled water. Fill the tube up 1/2 way with tank water and the rest with distilled water. then test. If you get a reading then the kit was maxed out. whatever the reading it not a relevant but if you did a precise 50/50 mix the tank is actually about double whatever the reading was.

But then again stop adding food until the nitrItes drop down. that doesn't change regardless of what you measure.

Finally I presume you have verified the test with another test like at lfs or whatever.

my .02

Thanks, Last night I did the 100% dilution test and the reading was off the chart. However I just repeated it and got a reading of 2ppm. So hopefully I'm heading in the right direction.

I'll continue doing water changes, and I have already discontinued food.

I haven't had a chance to take a sample to my LFS, but will tomorrow.

[jrman83]

Originally Posted by love2fishfork

1. I AM performing the test correctly.
2. My tap water does not contain any nitrItes or nitrAtes
3. The nitrIte test using 100% tank water produces a color that does not correspond to anything on the chart.
4. 40% water change has no effect on test color.

ideas?

Have you tested your tap for ammonia? I just heped someone cycle a tank recently and had extremely high nitrites that wouldn't seem to budge. Turned out the tap had ammonia and since the tank could already handle the ammonia, it would process it and drive the nitrites even higher. Its worth a test. You didn't mention testing the tap for ammonia that I saw.

It is not uncommon for nitrite test to test off the charts and it is not uncommon for 1 or even 2-3 water changes to be completed and nothing change. But, if the water you put in doesn't have ammonia or nitrites you know that the water going in has to be diluting what is left in the tank. For the safety of your fish that is the important thing. I would keep doing the water changes as long as there is no ammonia.

There is no need to try and test to see if you have anything above 5ppm, unless you just need to know and you want to waste a little time or money buying special water. At 5ppm you have already far exceeded what it takes to kill a fish. For me, that is all I need to know and I would do the water changes until it was where the test could get a result it could read.

[love2fishfork]

Originally Posted by jrman83

Have you tested your tap for ammonia?

This is an interesting point. My water supply has chloramine. I just took a sample from the faucet and tested it. It came up 0ppm Ammonia, then I took a sample of water that I treated with Prime 6 hours ago and tested it. It came up with 0.25ppm. The important point is that it takes time to break down the chloramine. So yes, the water I'm replacing in my water changes is adding some ammonia which in turn is turning into NitrIte!

[beaslbob]

Originally Posted by love2fishfork

Thanks, Last night I did the 100% dilution test and the reading was off the chart. However I just repeated it and got a reading of 2ppm. So hopefully I'm heading in the right direction.

I'll continue doing water changes, and I have already discontinued food.

I haven't had a chance to take a sample to my LFS, but will tomorrow.

If you diluted the diluted sample again the 2ppm would be 8ppm in the original test sample. Which is above the 5ppm of the nitrIte test kit.

Still sound to me like you're pegging the test kit which has happened to my with unplanted tanks. A few days and sometimes a couple of weeks of not food being added and in a day ot two it drops right down to 0.

my .02

[love2fishfork]

Originally Posted by beaslbob

If you diluted the diluted sample again the 2ppm would be 8ppm in the original test sample. Which is above the 5ppm of the nitrIte test kit.

I didn't dilute a diluted sample!!! I took a fresh sample with 2.5ml of tank water and 2.5ml of distilled water.

Still reading off the chart this morning. Getting ready to do a water change (15 gallons=42%).

[jrman83]

I wouldn't worry about diluting tests, just diluting your tank water with fresh water. You are doing the right thing. Keep going and it will come down. Be sure to take new readings at least 30min after your water change to give time for the water to circulate.

[love2fishfork]

A miracle occured!

After days and days (and days) of water changes, with no real change in NitrItes, or NitrAtes, I got up this morning and tested. The levels while not perfect were much improved.

Ammonia = 0
NitrItes = 0.25ppm
NitrAtes = 5

Looks like I'm almost there!

Fish seem happy - now if I could just find some birth control for my prolific platies!

[jrman83]

Glad to hear. No telling how long it would have lasted without water changes. The important part is the fish made it through it. Once you are completed, I would wait another week from that point before adding anymore fish. This will give the tank time to continue to stabalize and grow more beneficial bacteria.

[beaslbob]

Originally Posted by love2fishfork

A miracle occured!

After days and days (and days) of water changes, with no real change in NitrItes, or NitrAtes, I got up this morning and tested. The levels while not perfect were much improved.

Ammonia = 0
NitrItes = 0.25ppm
NitrAtes = 5

Looks like I'm almost there!

Fish seem happy - now if I could just find some birth control for my prolific platies!

Isn't that amazing when they finally drop down. then the next day they are 0.


Congrates.

my .02

[PixiesDad]

Originally Posted by beaslbob

Isn't that amazing when they finally drop down. then the next day they are 0.


Congrates.

my .02

I'm glad others feel that same sense of relief when it FINALLY drops down. God bless all them little bacteria working their little butts off!

[beaslbob]

Originally Posted by PixiesDad

I'm glad others feel that same sense of relief when it FINALLY drops down. God bless all them little bacteria working their little butts off!

good.

also FWIW nitrItes drop down realitively early in the cycle.

Just wait until nitrates drop down. The feels even better.

Not to mention phosphates which most don't measure.

my .02