nitrites are taking over the world

[panboy]

ive been cycling my tank for probably 6 weeks.
ammonia spikes already, and nitrites spiked about 2 weeks ago.
they are still spiked.

i did a 75% water change today because i thought it would help the nitrites come down.

nitrAtes were around 250, and after they water changed they dropped to around 40.

however, nitrites are still freaken high. like off the charts, even after a 75% water change!!!



what can i do to bring the nitrites down and finish my cycle at last?!?!?!

 

[freshmike]

Whenever I am having problems cycling a new tank....example: nitrites
I put a couple of airstones in the tank and within a couple of days, the nitrites are usually gone....literally gone. I don't know if there is some kind of scientific reason, like more oxygen or whatever......it was just something I tried when my 90 wouldn't complete it's cycle and it really seemed to work....again with the 45 a few months later....hope it works for you as well.

Good Luck

Chris.

 

[panboy]

well ill see if i can get an airstone to try

 

[G_Sharky]

Hey Mike
what's an airstone and how much does it cost cause i'm going through the same thing except that my nitrite and nitrate level isn't really extreme. Would this airstone speed up the cycle?

 

[panboy]

well i can't get an airstone


but shouldnt a 75% water change at least lower some nitrites?

 

[Bol]

but shouldnt a 75% water change at least lower some nitrites?

It sure should, assuming you have no nitrites in the new water (which is generally a safe bet).

250 ppm of nitrates is tremendously high. That, in itself, would seem to imply that a ton of nitrites have already been oxidized.

It could be that the nitrites were just really, really high, and it's still off the charts, even after a drop to 1/6th or so of its original level. That seems unlikely, though.

Do you have fish in the tank?

Also, have you confirmed that your nitrite test is working correctly? Maybe have your local fish store test a sample of the same water?

 

[panboy]

there is no fish in it.

im almost 100% sure my tests work good, i use them on my small 10g one, which is pretty much overstocked (because i thought my 46 would be ready sooner).

yeah im thinking they wree just EXTREMELY high because today i tested it, and its still a really red color, which means on the higher end, but it took 3 min to reach that color, it was pink for the first couple min. before, it was red before i even started shaking the tube.... so i think thats a good sign

 

[panboy]

ahh i cant be patient anymore.
its been 3 weeks after the nitrite spike.
nitrites have lowered only because ive been adding lots of PRIME.
yet after adding that nothing has changed.
i have no clue what to do.
seems like there is no bacteria at all, but there has to be cause there are nitrates from a while ago.

what would u do if u were in my position?

 

[Bol]

Certainly sounds like an odd situation. Let me ask a whole bunch of questions, rather than going through one step at a time -- might save time in finding your problem.

* You started this cycling roughly around the beginning of the year, right?
* You are doing a fishless cycle, using "pure" ammonia, right?
* When you started cycling, you dechlorinated the water first, correct?
* Your ammonia spiked within the expected week or two, and is now zero (is it zero now? if not, what is the ammonia level?)
* When your nitrites showed up, did you halve the amount of ammonia you were adding?
* How much ammonia are you adding now, and how often?
* Sounds to me like you're using Aquarium Pharmaceuticals test kits. Is that correct?
* The word "spike" implies that something goes up, and then comes down. It sounds like your nitrites went up, and didn't come down (at least, in the measureable range). Is this correct?
*Your nitrites are still "off the scale", correct?
* You did a big water change about a week ago, and said your nitrates went down from 250 to 40 ppm. What's the current nitrate level?
* Have you ever tested your tap water for nitrates? If so, what was the result?
* Does your tank water have any "foam" at the top?
* What, exactly, is in your tank right now?
* What, exactly, have you added, chemically, during the cycle?
* What type of filter are you using?
* Have you cleaned it since you started, or changed the filter media? If so, when and how?

 

[panboy]

around mid january i started.

yes, using "ammonia clear" by Kroger

yes, i dechlorinated

yes it spiked in about a week, and is now around .1

after ammonia spiked, i stopped for a day, and then realized i had to add 50% of what i was doing, so yes after that one day. or maybe 2 max.

i havent added ammonia for about a week, because there is still some, and nitrites are so high im thinking the bacteria (if there is any) has "food" to live off since its not nitrates yet

no, im using some by red sea, and ive tested with the test strips by Jungle believe, which i bought recently

yes, i never saw it go down, according to the test kits, that is until I added prime, which it went down some, but it still in the HIGH range.

with the drop kits its off the scale, but with the strips it reads around 10ppm

nitrate are around 60ppm

0 nitrates in tap water

no foam, a couple bubbles, but not foam

filter, heater, gravel, and 1 plant

ive added dechlorinator after that waterchange, and prime.

im using an emperor 400

i took out the carbon about a week into the cycle. since the cycle was early, and i started using filter floss instead in m 10g, i just decided to use it in the 46g before the cycle gets to far. about 2 weeks ago, i added more filter floss, but didnt throw away the floss i had already

 

[Bol]

An odd situation, indeed.

Personally, I think I'd try something like this:

Do a 50% water change, and add one more 50% dose of ammonia (maybe a little less). Then, test your water. Hopefully, you'll see that nitrites are around 5 ppm, and nitrates are around 30 ppm -- and hopefully, ammonia will be around 2 ppm.

Then, re-test the water a day later. If ammonia and nitrites both drop noticeably, and nitrates go up, then it would seem that you probably have a bed of both types of bacteria, and maybe it was just overloaded.

Also, you mention a 10 gallon tank. If it's well-established, and it's possible, putting the filter floss and/or a couple of handfuls of gravel from that tank into your new one for a few days will probably help.

Good luck.

 

[panboy]

i did the change yesterday, nitrates are around 20-30 yesterday and are the exact some today.
nitrites are still soaring since yesterday and are still today. exactly the same.....................................................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................................
...........................................................................................................i think i might be dreaming. this is to difficult



also wondering, i have the emperor, should i be seeing bacteria on it by now? it looks exactly like how i got it.

 

[Bol]

If you are talking about the bio-wheels themselves, then yes, the pleated wheel media should have darkened significantly -- from mostly white, to a smoky grey (maybe slightly tan-brown), in most cases.

But, you won't see "stuff growing on it", if that's what you mean.

One day may not be enough time to have a noticeable (measureable) change in nitrites and nitrates in a fishless cycle-- I'm not sure about that, though.

And, just for sanity's sake, did you test your tap water for nitrites? I'd find it hard to believe tap water contains any, but might as well be sure.

You mention the nitrite levels "are the same". Do you mean they're still "off the scale"? (You mentioned 10ppm on the strip, is that the highest measurement there is? It is on my Mardel strips).

If that's the case, I'd make large (50% to 75%) water changes, while keeping the ammonia level low but above zero, until the nitrites are in the measurable range (say, 2ppm). Then watch what happens. Having a trend would be very helpful, and right now, it seems you have nothing to compare to, except "very high".

Or, if you're pressed for time, or are just getting fed up, see if you can find some BioSpira. I've had very good results with it in the past. If you use it, I'd do an almost complete water change first, though.

 

[panboy]

well mine is a dark grey color, not brown, just wondering cause i dont remember what they look like new.

i have testing my tap water, and its very clear that the nitrites and nitrates are zero.

im raelly confused now about my test kits.
i did the strip test today and it measured at 10ppm, which is the highest it goes to.
however, with the drop test, i just did it and it stayed at a pink, which on the chart measured about .5-.7....... i dunno if one is bad, but they are both pretty new.

ill let u know how the testing goes tomorrow

 

[PereguineFalcon]

Hey panboy! Sup! Heard about your probs. with cycling your tank and i have a bit of information for you. Try going to this website and read about it! http/www.csd.net/~cgadd/aqua/art_plant_newtank.htm This is what i am doing for my 55gal. tank. Works great!! I've had my tank set up for only 2 weeks and i am already able to add some fish...slowly mind you...but i am still able to add them. Give it a try...i tried it and it is working great so far! Lemme know what you think. My plants have definately taken off HARDCORE! Its amazing! I don't have anything special in the tank...no Flourite or anything, I've just been adding plant tabs once ever 10 days or so...i have two 1 liter DIY co2 injectors...and only about 1.24 wpg. But man, have those plants ever taken off. I've had to trim and prune them and i've only had them in the tank for about two weeks now. Its awesome! Its been the easiest cycling process i have ever done. Just sit back and let the plants do the rest. If you just follow those instructions it works out great! Check out the rest of his page as well, hes got tons of other neat stuff.