Nitrite Confusion! Help!

[ikiera]

After fishless cycling for over a month and adding a betta and japonica shrimp to my 28l tank after havig my water tested at maiden head aquatics.. Im having fluctuations. My ammonia is 0,05-0,1nitrates are 1-5 but nitrites are 0,2-0,4

This is really high right? Im using the jbl test kit.

When i got my fish it was 0,05-0,1

Thanks guys

Also... Bruno!

 

[phoenixgsd]

these are test strips arnt they? if so then the chances are your readings are wrong, you need a liquid based test kit, how did you cycle your tank?

 

[ikiera]

No its a water test kit. I cycled the tank fishlessly with ammonia and went through ammonia spikes etc... Kept a diary!!

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Can you post your stats from your diary?


Day # - NH3 # - NO2# - NO3#



How long after you had zeros for NH3 and NO2 every 12 hours did you add fish?

 

[ikiera]

Im not at home right now but i had readings for at 0 for 3 days.. Probably didnt leave it long enough. Parents thought itd be ok to add as the because of this.. Ive been away and they added fish as a surprise. Rookie error on thier part!


Im guessing it was only partway through the cycle. Im relaying the info ive been given by parents as i got them to test the water while i was away. Anything i can advise them?

 

[eaglesaquarium]

Water changes, water changes, water changes!


You are still in a fish-in cycle, and the only way to deal with it is to change the water. If the reading for either ammonia or nitrite are anything higher than zero, you need to do a water change - temp matched, dechlorinated water. The further from zero, the bigger the water change needs to be.

 

[ikiera]

Cheers.. Ill get the parents straight on it til i get back!