Nitrite Levels

[Iceangel]

Hi, I'm not a complete beginner but have a new tank.

The nitrite levels are between 0.3 and 0.8 there are no fish in the tank as I don't want to kill my existing fish. I have used Cycle, water changes, putting some of the water and pebbles from my existing tank in there, nothing has worked and the Nitrite levels seem to be getting worse. I have had the new tank 2 weeks.

Any suggestions??

 

[luxum]

Have you tested your tap water for nitrites? If there are no fish in the tank and you aren't adding ammonia, it's gotta be coming from somewhere...

 

[Iceangel]

Tap water is perfect, no fish in tank (too worried about killing them) I'm not adding ammonia.

Some people say that I sould just put the fish in and hope for the best!!!!

 

[snowyangel]

Keep doing daily water changes of 15-20%. Don't clean your filter or over clean your gravel b/c you need bacteria to build up to convert your nitrites to less harmful nitrate. For a full Nitrogen Cycle to take place it can take 2-4 weeks, so be patient.
Do you have aheater setup as well in your tank? i've heard bacteria multiply faster with more oxygen(from your water changes) and warm temps (say 77-79F?) .

 

[Iceangel]

Ok I'll try water changes.

Would it be a bad idea to add the fish to get the cycle going?


Yes I do have a heater.

 

[gadazobe]

It's not really a good idea to add fish from a mature tank to one that already has nitrite in it. The nitrite must be coming from somewhere - are you adding food every day, even though there are no fish in it?

 

[Iceangel]

No, I'm not adding any food, Should I be?

 

[FishDan]

What are you using to "feed" the ammonia eating bacteria? There should only be nitrites if you are past the ammonia portion of your cycle, and you would get there by having some fish to produce waste, adding pure ammonia, adding flake food and letting it rot, etc. If you are not somehow "feeding" these bacteria, the nitrites have to be coming from some other source. Adding some gravel from your established tank is a great idea, as this transfers some bacteria to the new tank, but you need to "feed" the bacteria or they will die (of course, this occures to me that this may be a source for your nitrites).

\Dan

 

[nirvanarama]

I have used Cycle, water changes, putting some of the water and pebbles from my existing tank in there, nothing has worked and the Nitrite levels seem to be getting worse

i wouldnt do water changes as it will prolong your cycle

also, i would think that your nitrites are just peeking, as mine got up to 1.6 mg/l

so i would carry on waiting and adding 5 drops of cycle every day.

yet another also, try adding some crughed up flake food and letting it rot, as this will ad ammonia into the tank, which will then be converted, blsh blah blah.

sorry for treating you like a newbie, its just that im not good at long stuff

good luck and i hope it works out well for you!

 

[Iceangel]

I went to my LFS at the weekend and they said to stop adding Cycle as it has probably speeded up the process too much.

So I'am now doing water changes to pretty much start again.

May be things do go wrong if you follow the rules to closely

(i know people who have just shoved the fish in and they've all been fine)

 

[gixer]

first of all dont waste anymore money on 'cycle' its not worth the bottle used to sell it in.

with no fish in the tank or no ammonia source at all the tank will never cycle.
if you dont want to cycle with ammonia i would suggest using 1 zebra danio for every 5 gallons of water in your tank,

a fishy cycle can take between 4 and 10 weeks. not 2-4 like previously mentioned.

 

[gixer]

went to my LFS at the weekend and they said to stop adding Cycle as it has probably speeded up the process too much.

sounds like a good lfs you have there....NOT!!!!!!!!!!!

pathetic advice. cycle actually does next to nothing anyway..but saying it will speed it up too much is just plain stupid..

never trust what a lot of lfs tell you.

 

[Iceangel]

Thanks!

I'm starting to realise that they talk out they're a** alot of the time.

How many LFS actuall have fish of they're own do you think?

Thanks for all the input!!

 

[canarsie11]

Hi, I'm not a complete beginner but have a new tank.

How many tanks do you have, cause you have real beginner problems. Dont try to cheat the cycle, you will not win. Do a fishless cycle forget about fish for next couple of weeks

The nitrite levels are between 0.3 and 0.8 there are no fish in the tank as I don't want to kill my existing fish. I have used Cycle, water changes, putting some of the water and pebbles from my existing tank in there, nothing has worked and the Nitrite levels seem to be getting worse. I have had the new tank 2 weeks.

Any suggestions??

Hi, I'm not a complete beginner but have a new tank.

How many tanks do you have, cause you have real beginner problems. Dont try to cheat the cycle, you will not win. Do a fishless cycle forget about fish for next couple of weeks

 

[Iceangel]

2 tanks

My orignal tank which my fish are still living in until the new one is safe enough!