A Little Help Please

[purplepatti]

Hi
New tank yesterday, well when i say new bought off a couple, so all i did was bring it home and add one third water back treated of course, as we took containers for water and left the fish in the tank with a third of water for the journey, Filter and everything was all the same, Fish are tetras not sure of types there was i think 6 of them a couple of upside down catfish and a few kuhli loaches, they are all quite small, this morning the tank is cloudy and i lost two tetras one after the other, rest seem fine and although they were all hanging at the surface earlier they are now all swimming around normally, I managed to do some water tests just now as i had to buy the tubes and this is what i got,
Ammonia o,
Nitrate 10,
PH 7,
Nitrite 0.25,

Now im not brilliant with these things and the book with the testing kit is a bit confusing about the nitrite which i think is too high ? as there is nowhere open now, whats my best option, obviously a water change, but how much ? they were all only moved 24hrs ago dont want to stress them further, but i want them to be ok , any advice please, ?

 

[laura120381]

hi there,

yes your nitrate levels are far too high. i would do a large water change (about 2 thirds) adding dechlorinator and temperature matching the new water of course. i would then continue to change at LEAST 25% of the water over the next few days until the nitrate levels come down.

to make sure i have given you appropriate advice could you please tell us what size the tank is? what type of filter do you have? what is the current water temperature? did you add any fresh water at all when you set the tank up?

cheers,

L

 

[purplepatti]

The temp is 29, its right in the green bit of the temp thing, its a elite 60L, with a eheim filter and yes i added a third to the original 2 thirds and treated it and made sure it was the right temp,

 

[scotty]

hi there,

yes your nitrate levels are far too high. i would do a large water change (about 2 thirds) adding dechlorinator and temperature matching the new water of course. i would then continue to change at LEAST 25% of the water over the next few days until the nitrate levels come down.

to make sure i have given you appropriate advice could you please tell us what size the tank is? what type of filter do you have? what is the current water temperature? did you add any fresh water at all when you set the tank up?

cheers,

L

i think you might mean the nitrite levels

 

[Tizer]

Your nitrite level is not "far" too high, while its at 0.25 its doing very little harm, however that said you cant afford for it to go any higher. I would imagine the move of the tank/filter/water fish has just caused a very slight blip in the filters ability to function. I would suggest a 50% water change and retest the nitrite 30 mins later. The water change should have halved the reading. You need to test the ammonia and nitrite in the morning and do another water change if needed. I would imagine the filter will kick in very soon and you wil be fine. Dont worry about NitrAte, as long as you are doing a weekly water change it should never become an issue. I've not tested my nitrAte for god knows how long now.

 

[purplepatti]

what would you say is an acceptable level of nitrite ? the books quite plain in all other tests but not that one,

 

[Tolak]

Any levels of nitrite indicate a cycling problem. This would not be unusual in a recently moved tank. As mentioned, a 50% water change will help, as will feeding lightly for a few days, less food means less waste produced.

Nitrite inhibits a fish's hemoglobin from properly carrying O2, so make sure you have plenty of surface motion while this gets sorted out.

 

[soybean]

NitrIte should be 0, like ammonia. NitrAte could feasibly get quite high, say 80+, before causing any problems. Water changes keep these under control anyway.

A 50% water change now and continuous monitoring is the best course of action, as advised. The filter will catch up soon.

 

[Tizer]

what would you say is an acceptable level of nitrite ? the books quite plain in all other tests but not that one,

Zero is the only acceptable level. But maintaining it between 0 and 0.25 while in a fish-in-cycle should see your fish cope perfectly well until the filter is working correctly.

 

[purplepatti]

Thanks everyone, for all the amazingly fast and nice response, (have been on forums before when i first started out years ago where i was shouted at like i was a mass murderer lol ) im waiting for hubby to get off his pc he is mid match playing soliders in a clan and we will get that change done and follow all advice,
Thanks again

 

[laura120381]

sorry....yes i meant nitrite!! although it is not dangerous at the moment it will be if it goes much higher.

L

 

[purplepatti]

Well 50% water change done, and zero nitrite yippeee
will be watching it closley now though, and testing each day.

 

[purplepatti]

Still testing at zero and the tank is sparkling now no cloudiness at all, phew