Nitrites In Goldfish Tank

[cindyterry33]

Hello,
I have a 30g goldfish tank with one Oranda (5inches long) and one apple snail.
Ammonia= 0
Nitrites = so high the color chart won't measure it any higher.
Nitrates = 0
Ph = 7.6
Mixture of live and plastic plants.
Gravel
1 HOB Tetra Whisper EX45
1 HOB AquaClear 20
1 air stone
The tank has been set up for about 2 months. I have used old filter media from a 55g tank that is well established. I have tried rinsing the filter media from the estab tank into a small bowl of used aquarium water and adding it to the 30g tank. I have tried using prime, stability, and nite-out (supposedly has de-nitrifying bacteria) but it is still testing very high in nitrites. I dont understand the low ammonia and low nitrates. It feels like it is stuck in the middle of the cycle and won't go beyond it. What do I do? I've been changing 25% of the water every other day. I've tried changing 30% of the water with used water from the 55g tank. I have had this goldfish for about 9 years and his health is starting to go downhill. I have tried several times putting him in the 55g tank that is in excellent shape (perfect H2o conditions) but the goldfish in that tank nip him so bad they were killing him. They do it every time I put him in there. (3x) I'm at a loss as to what to do. The three fancy goldfish in the 55g tank won't fit in the 30g. Help?

 

[Curiosity101]

Have you actually added any of the filter media from the 55G tank?

Rinsing it and then adding the water you rinsed it in into the 30g wont do much to bump start the cycle in the 30G.
Bacteria grow on the media and basically bond to it so are very hard to remove.

You need to physically take some media from the established filter and put it into the 30G filter, this should then seed the newer filter.

 

[mark4785]

It may help for you to accumulate a small amount of ammonia as I've heard that if you don't have any ammonia the beneficial bacteria acts slower at converting all the toxins. I would do daily water changes and apply some API filter bugs (this is paper-like filter media soaked in millions of beneficial bactera) along with the other filter media. Bacterlife P manufactured by waterlife absorbs nitrite and also adds beneficial bacteria to help convert the remaining nitrites into nitrate.

When doing partisl water changes, top the tank up with tap water (de-chlorinate this before applying) as its going to be much fresher and liven the fish up.

 

[saph.st24]

hi
To reduce high nitrite levels, increase to daily 20% water changes always dechlorinate and reduce feeding, weekly rinse media in a bowl of tank water never tap water ,add a filter start bacteria
you may want to test your tap water for ammonia, nitrites,nitrates and ph i know this sounds daft but it shows if they are present in your water source.
the filter you have for your tank is it made by hagen as i have just looked and and yours is for a 20gal tank max
[URL="http/www.marinedepot.com/filters_hagen_a...r_power-ap.html"]http/www.marinedepot.com/filters_hagen_a...r_power-ap.html[/URL]

 

[cindyterry33]

hi
To reduce high nitrite levels, increase to daily 20% water changes always dechlorinate and reduce feeding, weekly rinse media in a bowl of tank water never tap water ,add a filter start bacteria
you may want to test your tap water for ammonia, nitrites,nitrates and ph i know this sounds daft but it shows if they are present in your water source.
the filter you have for your tank is it made by hagen as i have just looked and and yours is for a 20gal tank max
<a href="http/www.marinedepot.com/filters_hagen_a...r_power-ap.html" target="_blank">http/www.marinedepot.com/filters_hagen_a...r_power-ap.html</a>

I actually have two filters that hang on the back. One is for a 20gal and one for a 45 gall. Thanks for the info. I will test tap water as the tank still has high nitrites.

 

[Anna Robinson]

2 months isn't that long - perhaps it is just taking an unusually long time to finish cycling. Are you sure your test kit is reading correctly?

Water changes will obviously help, and you can also try nitrite-absorbing resins.

I've never heard of API Filter Bugs I'd be interested to hear more about it.

 

[saph.st24]

i think this is what mark ment API BIOLOGICAL FILTER BOOSTER BACTERIA but it is a mouthfull to say, api filter bugs is much better

nitrites will be high as the ammonia is coming down then when the nitrite comes down the nitrate will go up
you can do as said daily 10%water changes, clean any waste from the bottom of the tank ,remove dead/dying leaves frm plants and reduce feeding
although nitrates are less harmfull then ammonia and nirites, you should try to keep it as low as possible. which you can do with regular water changes and weekly upkeep