New Tank Syndrome

[loopylootwo]

I am having problems with getting down my nitrite level. I have had my tank running a few weeks and discovered that my ammonia was off the roof i have done 10% water changes every day for a week and now have a 0 reading for ammonia but still nitrites are 1 or over i need advice to get this down i have a living plant i know these help. Please advise which plants are best at helping too thank you with links would be helpful too

 

[fluttermoth]

You really need to do bigger water changes. For example, if your nitrite is 1 and you do a 10% water change, you're only bringing it down to 0.9.
If you do a 90% water change you'll bring it down to 0.1, do you see?

All plants will help to some extent; the stem ones like elodea and cabomba are usually the most useful, but more important is getting your tank cycled (have a read of the articles in the beginner's resource centre; link is in my sig) so the levels are reduced by your filter bacteria.

Until then you'll just have to remove the ammonia and nitrite yourself through water changes.

 

[loopylootwo]

You really need to do bigger water changes. For example, if your nitrite is 1 and you do a 10% water change, you're only bringing it down to 0.9.
If you do a 90% water change you'll bring it down to 0.1, do you see?

All plants will help to some extent; the stem ones like elodea and cabomba are usually the most useful, but more important is getting your tank cycled (have a read of the articles in the beginner's resource centre; link is in my sig) so the levels are reduced by your filter bacteria.

Until then you'll just have to remove the ammonia and nitrite yourself through water changes.

Thank you so much for replying i will get straight to it! I wish i had known all of this from the start i have been looking at so many forums and they all have different advice! I think that the water changes are definitely key so will be trying to adjust the water changes to the results from my testing! wish me luck!

 

[fluttermoth]

You're very welcome

Can I ask how big your tank is, how long has it been set up and what fish you have in it? As if the tank is too small and has too many fish, you could struggle to ever get a healthy balance in there.

Good luck!

 

[loopylootwo]

You're very welcome

Can I ask how big your tank is, how long has it been set up and what fish you have in it? As if the tank is too small and has too many fish, you could struggle to ever get a healthy balance in there.

Good luck!

I have a small 13.5 litre tank and two small common golfish i have been told that they may grow and i will have to put them in a larger tank i do intend on a larger aquarium in the next few months and sorry forgot to put i have had it for just over two weeks (without knowledge that you need to do a fishless cycle doh)!.

 

[fluttermoth]

Most people don't get good advice before they get fish; don't blame yourself, we see it here near enough every day

In all honesty, your common goldfish would be far, far better in a pond; they're not really suitable for tanks at all as they are very heavy feeders and so are very messy. Goldies can easily grow to over a foot long if given enough space to grow, which, in practical terms, means a five foot+ tank with a couple of external filters.

With the small tank you have, you'd do much better buying yourself a little heater and having either a shoal of some small tropical fish, like tetras or, if you want more of a 'pet' fish, a Siamese fighter, or something like that.

Tropical fish are not more delicate or expensive than coldwater, no matter what people might tell you! I find tropicals easier, I haven't kept goldfish for years; too much like hard work as far as I'm concerned

 

[loopylootwo]

Most people don't get good advice before they get fish; don't blame yourself, we see it here near enough every day

In all honesty, your common goldfish would be far, far better in a pond; they're not really suitable for tanks at all as they are very heavy feeders and so are very messy. Goldies can easily grow to over a foot long if given enough space to grow, which, in practical terms, means a five foot+ tank with a couple of external filters.

With the small tank you have, you'd do much better buying yourself a little heater and having either a shoal of some small tropical fish, like tetras or, if you want more of a 'pet' fish, a Siamese fighter, or something like that.

Tropical fish are not more delicate or expensive than coldwater, no matter what people might tell you! I find tropicals easier, I haven't kept goldfish for years; too much like hard work as far as I'm concerned

Thanks i would agree with that my in laws have a pond i think i will donate them over and do just that!