Nitrites Highish

[fish_face]

Hello. I've had my tank set up for about a month now, it quite a biggie at 350 litres and was doing ok to start with . Then I began losing some fish (male guppies and a beta) and had the nitrites measured, which I was told were quite high. I've waited two weeks now and completed two 20%+ water changes and my nitrites now measure about 0.3 on a home test, plus I haven't lost any more fish during this time. Can I put any new fish in yet or would I lose them?

 

[skimpy]

IMHO i would not add anymore fish until your NitrIte goes down to zero.

Fish living in a tank when cycling and nitrIte goes up a little adjust and usually survive. If however, you take a fish from a zero nitrIte tank in a fish shop and put it into a tank even as low as 0.3 it will definately affect the new fish.

Just be patient, keep up the water changes and it will not be long before you are down to zero and can add more fish.

Good Luck - hang in there it will not be long.

 

[WILDER]

No I wouldn't add anymore fish till you have a nitrite reading of 0, as your bacteria colony will not cope with the new fish. Once you have a reading of 0 do a 30% water change to fetch nitrates down, but wait a few days till the 0 reading is stable.

 

[fish_face]

Thanks for the advice guys. I have just read about the tank 'cycling' process on this website, where it said not to change filter media too regularly. Does this mean that I should not change the white floss componant of my jewel filter weekly or the carbon sponge monthly as the manufacturer suggests?

 

[WILDER]

You only need to touch the white filter floss on top once a week in old tank water, don't touch the blue sponges as they are your bacteria colony that turns nitrite into nitrate.Also the black carbon should be changed every 6 weeks it says four but you can leave it up to six weeks, you must remove it a six weeks or the chemicals will be released back into the tank, also when you need to medicate the tank you remove the black carbon or it takes the meds out of the tank.

 

[Cheese Specialist]

I agree with the others about not adding fish until you get rid of Nitrite. It should be 0 along with amonia at all times. In order to keep the water safe until you get this, yopu need to up your waterchanges to 30% daily. Anything less doesn't make any difference. Doing this for 3 days will probably get rid of the nitrites anyway.

Also, I must stress to never follow manufacturers' guidelines on replacing their products. Remember, they want you to buy stuff from them.

This goes for fish food and very definatly for filter media. I never replace my media, the most I do is move some to another tank (when setting up a new one) and replace what I have taken but that's not regular and not maintenece, just convienence.

Rinse the media in tank water when the flow slows to get off the majority of the gunk. Try not to squeeze it out too much or anything like tha.

 

[glolite]

Hi Fish Face and welcome Good news! My nitrites are down to nil Have been reading your thread and got good info. It's great here isn't it!!

 

[fish_face]

Sure is! My nitrites are steadilly going down now. Did you see my post about snails?

 

[glolite]

No I didn't. Where did you post it?