Nitrite at Dangerous level

[nightfox]

I did a nitrite test of my aquarium, I noticed that my nitrite level was above 3.3mg/l. I undertood a massive clean up program. I have a 4ft tank. I changed 40% of the water, cleaned the gravel, removed dead plants, cleaned and changed all the filters. I tested 24hrs later and the NO2 levels are exacly the same. The only difference too the tank, is I have added a couple of new fish and a peice of wood (from my local tropical fish specialist). The fish are not showing the tell tell signs of high levels of Nitrite or Ammonia, (no gasping of Air, streesed looking). I have a well established tank. Any ideas.

1. What has caused it
2. what can I do to rectify the problem.



Cheers

 

[njparton]

Stop cleaning everything!!

You're removing beneficial bacteria from your tank which break the nitrite down into nitrate!

Keep doing say 25% water changes daily, but don't touch your filter, gravel, rocks etc until nitrite levels are at 0.

Then if you clean your filter weekly, don't clean it all at once to preserve some of the bacteria.

 

[nightfox]

Thanks I'll try that, Do you know if adding the new wood has made a difference?

 

[nightlife20]

i think somone else had this probelm not sure.... but was told that the ph would be affected and not the nitrite by the wood...


isnt that normaly overfeeding... too many fish.... too much waste or not doin proper water changes/clean ups?



Dawn xx

 

[nightfox]

Thanks, just checked the PH levels, they are neutral, there does'nt seem to be a PH problem. I've been doing 25% water changes, but there has been no change in the Nitrite levels......

 

[White Whale]

I don't know what caused your nitrie levels to go up, but you can try controlling it with AmQuel Plus.

 

[wuvmybetta]

Try testing your tap water, then test your tap water after it's treated with your dechlorinator, I've had dechlorinator alter my readings before


edit~ my tap water tests at 2.0 nitrite, my water company said that it's not actually nitrites but high chloramine that alters my readings

 

[nightfox]

Thanks for the advise,

I have just tested my tap water the PH value tested as 7.0 (neutral)

NO2 tested as <0.3mg/L

 

[wuvmybetta]

Maybe that's it then

After I do a water change and test the water I get very high nitrite readings, it took me a looong time to figure out what the problem was.One or two days after a change the readings are back to zero Eventually I just stopped testing