CONFUSION!! nitrates...

[turnip]

So I'm all confused, I set up my first tank on April 18th, got the temp all set (24c) and everything was fine, checked pH level, which was perfectly fine (7.5), made the tap water safe etc. From following the instructions in the test kit I bought, on day 3 I added my fish, 2 lion heads, and added the Filter start solution. I followed the daily instructions for the 2 weeks it said it would take for the tank to mature. Gradually the nitrite test results became less pink - as instructed to aim for a totally clear test I was hopeful all was going well. On the 27th April my nitrite test results were still coming back in the region of 0.25 mg/l to 0.1 mg/l. During this time I noticed one fish (Squishy! -dont laugh!) appeared rather more bouyant than he should, resting at the top of the tank in the corner alot, seemed as though when at the bottom he was being dragged up and couldn't help it. I immediatly thought of swimbladder. I conducted a 25% water change, treated the new water with fresh start, checked the pH (still fine) but the nitrite was slightly more pink, I estimated approx 0.5 mg/l.

I bought interpet swim bladder solution and added the first dose on sunday May 2nd, along with a table spoon of Doc Wellfish aqurium salts. Apparently the swim bladder treatment is of 4 doses added on day 1,4,8 and 12. In the booklet with the medication it said to remove the carbon filter medium from the aquarium so I took out the black carbon sponge (as my tank has a Juwel compact super filter system, 1 fine blue sponge, one course blue, the black carbon sponge and a white filter pad). It also said to take out the zeolite (ammonia remover) but I dont know what that is?! I also added the filter care (no. 1 filter start) solution as it said it was still safe to use. Today 4th May I checked the nitrite levels again and was alarmed to see that the results were bright deep pink- 4.0 mg/l the worst result I've had, and since it was supposed to be decreasing over time I dont know whats going on why its suddenly leaped.

I dont know what to do, is this result because I've added the salts and medication? Is it because I took the black carbon sponge out? Since nitrites are harmful I wouldn't have expected the levels to rise when adding disease treatment. I dont know how to fix this problem.

I have no live plants in my tank, I only have 2 fish at the moment as I was establishing the tank properly before introducing anymore. The tank measures 24x12x12 and is therefore approx 50.5 litres (5.5 gal) so its not an over stocking problem either! There's nothing dead in there (as I read from another post). I increased the aeration by adding a bubble diver as the medication said it affects the oxygen carrying capacity of the water. I'm all out of ideas. HELP!!

 

[tstenback]

I think what has happened is that all was going well and when the meds were added to the tank they took out the existing bacterial colony and put you back to square one. I would put the carbon back in to remove any excess meds left in the tank. I would do an immediate 50% water change to reduce that nitrite level down. The goal should be to get it down below 1 after afew water changes. Start the tank up the same way you did before and continue monitoring the levels of ammonia, nitrite and nitrate. The tank will be cycled when the first 2 get back to zero and the nitrates have a positive reading. Dont add any meds unless of course the life of the fish is in danger. HTH

 

[turnip]

I've just done a 50% water change. Before I added the water from the tap (obviously I treated it first and got the temp right) I checked the nitrite level. It came back almost completly clear. I added it to my tank, added some filter start then checked the nitrite levels of my tank. They came back just as deep pink as the first time! (post 1 of this problem)

I added some Doc Wellfish salts, half table spoon to reduce stress and to replace what would have been diluted by the water change, dunno if that affected the nitrite or not, does anybody know if Doc Wellfish aqurium salts affect nitrite levels?

What should I do to get the levels down? Do I have to add something else (buffer etc?) or just repeatedly change the water?

I really want to get this sorted as its stressing me out! Keep checking for floating bodies!

Any help/advise would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Dawn

 

[thecichlidaddict]

The best thing you can do is to keep doing water changes and stop dumping additives into the tank. Are you keeping accurate track of how much salt you are using?

It sounds like your bio-filter has been compromised from the medication. If you are done medicating then you can add bacteria to the tank by either using filter media from an established tank (the LFS should help you out) or by purchasing Bio-Spira, the bottled bacteria that works. Either of these methods will help stablize the aquarium again.