Nitrite level a little high in new tank

[Shadowfax]

Hi, I have bought a new tank (45 gallons) I can't transfer my fish because the nitrite levels are a little high (0.2mg/l light pink) - how can I reduce this?

Thanks

andy

 

[Angry_Platy]

Water changes

What are your ammonia and nitrate levels?

 

[rdd1952]

If you already have an existing tank and are just going to transfer your fish over it would probably be best if you did a fishless cycle. You can take filter media from you existing tank and probably some gravel too. That should speed the process of cycling. Move as many items as you can from the exising tank and start adding pure ammonia. It shouldn't take long to cycle and you won't risk losing any fish in the process.

 

[Shadowfax]

Thanks, my water has only been in there since Sunday (3 days) I have new gravel etc. The ph levels are 8.3 ammonia is 0.0. If I take some water out of the other tank, would that be a good idea? For my reference what will adding ammonia do? something like breaks down nitrite to nitrate maybe?

Thanks in advance

Andy

 

[rdd1952]

Adding water from the other tank won't help much. The good bacteria are all on the filter media or in the substrate. Basically, adding ammonia simulates having fish. Fish create ammonia in their waste. By adding it to the tank, the ammonia eating bacteria can form. Once they form and consume the ammonia and transform it into nitrite, the nitrite consuming bacteria will form and transform it into nitrate. Once the ammonia level and nitrite level frop back to 0 in about a 12 hour time frame from adding ammonia again, you are finished cycling. You do a large water change (75 to 90 percent) to get rid of the nitrates and then you are ready to all all your fish. Here is a good article on fishless cycling.

 

[Angry_Platy]

Read this. it is a pinned article from this forum that you may find useful

Cycling Stuff from TFF

HTH

 

[Shadowfax]

Thanks, my last tank used an undergravel filter which I hated, what filter media could I take across from that? Maybe not much....

 

[Shadowfax]

Looks like I'll go with a fishless cycle by adding ammonia, i have a bottle of live good bacteria, so I'll add that too.

 

[yvez9]

you could use gravel since with undergrvale filters, the bacteria are found in the gravel