High Nitrtie Spike. Why?

[nadajdui]

Well, after talking to my dad last night I decided to check my ammonia, nitrites, and pH. Everything looked great except for the nitrites, which were at 0.8. This was after I had done a 25% water change earlier, as is my weekly routine for this tank. This doesn't make sense to me, but maybe someone here can help me out.

Tank size: 33 gallons (132 litres)
pH: 7.2
ammonia: 0
nitrite: 0.8
nitrate: n/a
kH: 3
gH: 0
tank temp: 25C (73F)

Fish Symptoms (include full description including lesion, color, location, fish behavior): Fish are all okay

Volume and Frequency of water changes: 25% once a week.

Chemical Additives or Media in your tank: None

Tank inhabitants: 4 zebra danios, 1 longfin blue danio, 5 corydoras, 1 young Spotted BN Pleco

Recent additions to your tank (living or decoration): None

Exposure to chemicals: None (that I know of)

 

[BBrain]

Hey, kiddo, I just realized what your tank and my tank have in common, the last few days:
We both treated with Jungle's Parasite Clear Tank Buddies, and we both are having nitrite spikes, within a day or so of treatments! Mine is up around 1.6 mg/L.

Yes, the package says it won't harm biological filtration, but I think it does, because that's the only thing that has been added to our tanks recently. So, I did a quick Google on one of its ingredients: acriflavine.

I found info that acriflavine DOES affect bacteria. Read this:
http/fins.actwin.com/killietalk/month.200112/msg00208.html

Also, at least one vendor advertises acriflavine as "treatment of bacterial infections". Look here: http/www.fishyfarmacy.com/products.htm

NOW....what to do about this situation?

I've been doing lots of water changes, but that only reduces the nitrites very slightly, and the nitrites are back up, and still climbing, within a day.

To try to remove any medication residue, I've put activated carbon into my HOB filter.
Will this help much?

Secondly, are there any ideas on reducing the nitrites? Do any nitrite-removing chemicals REALLY work? How about those filter media, like resins and zeolite...I know they work, but will they work FAST?

Any help is REALLY appreciated, since I'm leaving in a few days, for 2 weeks.

P.S. I've tested our tap water, and it has zero nitrites.

 

[tttnjfttt]

the best solution for nitrite spikes is time and water changes. Honestly, no chemicals will fix the problem. Just begin doing daily 25% water chagnes. Wet, you may want to consider twice daily changes for a few days since the levels are so high in your tank.

Also, be sure to watch out for any signs of disease because the nitrite will stress out the fish, which can lead to various illnesses.

Good luck!

 

[bobbicus]

i have not the same problem - but i did have a NO2 spike as dumbo here cleaned the filter media tooooooooo much- i was advised off people on here to do a daily w/c of 25% and monitor the water levels - dont do huge w/c's as this can upset the tank as you are drastically changing the composition of the tank water

 

[BBrain]

....Also, be sure to watch out for any signs of disease because the nitrite will stress out the fish, which can lead to various illnesses.....

Well, ttnjfttt, you called that one right, unfortunately. My daughter (nadajdui) lost her favourite fish yesterday (young Bushynose or Bristlenose Pleco), from septicemia. A very bad day over here.

There was very little warning. It had been surfacing for air for a day or so, just the day before yesterday. Then yesterday it appeared a little panicky, then loss of balance set in. Slight redding on the bases of the dorsal and caudal fins were noticed, it was isolated, then it just stopped breathing...all within hours. But from what I understand, the septicemia pathogen mutliplies internally for some time (weeks?), without the fish showing symptoms ("pre-acute" phase). Then the level of pathogens hit a high enough point to deteriorate the fish very, very quickly ("acute" phase). We are now medicating the entire tank, in case the other fishes may be harbouring the pathogen at pre-acute levels.