NITRITE SPIKE?! HELP!!!

[endilliteracy]

I bought a new test kit and I tested the nitrite and it said it was bright pink and in the danger zone! I had a bad case of cloudy water and I don't know what to do. I just did a 30% water change. Any more tips? I don't want my fish to die. I don't know how this could have happened. I tested with my old kit as well and I got the same reading. Could this just happen within like 6 hours? I tested this morning and got nitrite 7.5! Please help me!


UPDATE: I did a 50% water change and the nitrite dropped down to 3-5. I will continue doing large water changes until it gets down to 0.

 

[canarsie11]

Have you just clean filter or change set up of filtration?

 

[endilliteracy]

Have you just clean filter or change set up of filtration?

I cleaned the filter cartridge in old tank water that is about it.

 

[endilliteracy]

My water is still very cloudy and nitrite levels are way high. What should I do?

 

[StarOrbs]

Nitrite 7.5! Wow, that is high my test kit only goes up to 5. I would suggest keep doing water changes every day until you get it down.

 

[xXMrBonesXx]

try a product from hagen called cycle? but with nitrite that high i suggest change 50%+ of the water 1st

 

[endilliteracy]

try a product from hagen called cycle? but with nitrite that high i suggest change 50%+ of the water 1st

I already bought that. It hasn't seemed to do anything. I think my mom changed my filter pad to a new one.

It is so cloudy I can't see anything! I will do a 50% water change today.

 

[Flashfire]

The only things I can think of are either move all the fish to a different tank and strip the first one down and clean everything or a full water change: siphone out half the water and fill the tank back up again about eight times(yes eight times, this was what I did to save my betta fry when I had a nitrite spike in my rearing tank after a powerout), replace the filter all together or scrub it clean in bleach/hydrogen peroxide and do a test again. If the nitrites are still the same and you don't have a spare tank then you have to bag all the fish, soak everything not living in the tank with bleach, rinse it out, put new water in and reintroduce the fish. Temperature changes are nowhere near as bad as nitrite poisoning.

 

[Jen]

Deffinately do a water change... but make sure you syphon the gravel as well. You want to suck up any rotting food or fish waste.

 

[gale]

I'm not sure I'd use bleach on everything. It's pretty hard to get all of the bleach out-you'd definitely want to overdose on dechlorinator.

 

[Flashfire]

Bleach evaporates because it is a chlorinator and chlorine is a gas at room temperature(sunlight makes it evaporate evn faster). The rest of the sodium hypochlorite is water soluble and can be washed away with water.

 

[endilliteracy]

I just did a 50% water change and vaccuumed the gravel out. My nitrite is at 5. The last time I checked it before I cleaned the gravel and did the water change it was at 10! I hope my fish survive. I have an extra 10 gallon but it has no filter/heater/air pump or lid or light with it. I'll do a 75% water change tomorrow maybe. I am scared I will lose my molly fry.

 

[sammydee]

That's strange. I would have though fry would no way be able to stand a nitrite level of ten... Thats way over the supposedly lethal limit.

 

[endilliteracy]

That's strange. I would have though fry would no way be able to stand a nitrite level of ten... Thats way over the supposedly lethal limit.

I know...I even have glass catfish in my tank and they are still alive. My fry seemto be healthy and happy. They eat, poop and chase each other around. I tested the water again and it is between 3-5 nitrite.

Would adding an air stone have any effect on nitrite level because I added an air stone yesterday and don't know if that would help my tank or just make it worse???

I really hope my fish make it through my nitrite spike. The only fish that died was the khuli loach and I only had him for 2 days.

 

[dolly_daydream]

what i did when the same thing happened to me,i did a 80% change yes 80% ,then i put lots of de chlorinator filled it up and did it again ,again with lots of de chlorinator,that should lower it and then do the same tomorrow,do you not know anyone with a fish tank that can lend you a handfull of gravel,or go to your fish shop and ask them that should speed it up again