Please help

[Hoplesswfish]

HI

I have no idea what I am doing wrong please help. I have an 8 gallon tank it has 3 white cloud fish in it. I want to add a new fish to the tank but the nitrite is so high. I have had it set up for over a month. I know you have to let the water cycle and everything but nothing has changed in a month. I even tried putting water from an established tank but nothing has changed the nitrate level. AHHH . The ammonia is not high. The water is crystal clear.I don't mind waiting as long as I am doing every thing right. I really dont want to add cemicals unless I HAVE to. I dont know what is wrong please help.

 

[jasmine]

hi there, how much food are you feeding your fish?

 

[Hoplesswfish]

I don't feed them very much because there are only three little fish in there should I do more or less?

 

[karrihug]

is it nitrIte? or nitrAte? need to know for sure

 

[Hoplesswfish]

NO it is nitrite I bought a test kit and it doesnt even have a nitrate test

 

[Hoplesswfish]

OK
I bought a nitrate test today and the nitrate is about 10 maybe this will help some one tell me why my nitrite is so high . Is this a problem ? Can I put a new fish in or is my tank not fully cycled yet? I really don't know what happend.

 

[Teelie]

10 is nothing. It's not a problem until it reaches the 60's.

 

[Hoplesswfish]

I know the nitrate is not a problem but why is the nitrite off the charts

 

[modernhamlet]

Ok... we're 10 posts into this thread and haven't gotten anywhere.

Please post your parameters (actual numbers, not "high") for the following:

Ammonia:
Nitrite:
Nitrate: 10ppm
pH:
Temperature:

Some additional questions:

Does the tank contain plants?

What type/brand of filter are you using?

Did you add a bacteria source like gravel or filter media from an established tank?

How often have you changed the water? How much each time?

How much do you actually feed them? (be specific)


If you can answer these questions, we can help you better! Thanks!

 

[Hoplesswfish]

OK

Nitrate 80 (the nitate went up alot over night )
Nitrite 1.0 ( this went down alot over night )
GH 13
Temp. 80
Ph 7.6
Ammonia 0

NO I don't have live plants.
I have an eclipse filter w/a bio-wheel
I did not put gravel or filter midia from an established tank but I did put about 1 gallon of water from an established tank
I have done a 25% water change every other week
I only feed them one time a day and from what I see they eat most of it if not all of it. The amount is a very small pinch and I grind it up really small

Because the water has changed so much could this just mean my tank is not cycled or is there a problem

 

[silver]

Well (sorry I'm chuckling) but 1.0ppm nitrItes is hardly high for a tank that is at the tail end of cycling. Crud, I've had my tank cycled for well over a year and just recently went through heck trying to get it down to 1ppm!!
General rule is that you don't want to add any more fish until nitrItes are down around .25ppm OR LESS!!! So I would wait just a few more days before adding 1 more fish.....then repeat that process when buying another. It's always a good idea to wait until nitItes are almost perfect or right at 0ppm.

Your nitrAtes went up to 80, which is a good thing. This indicates that you in FACT ARE STILL CYCLING and you are on the downhill slope of it. Your nitrAtes developed quickly and they will bring those nitrItes down in no time!!!! NitrAtes are what keep NitrItes in check

You see, the reason it's so important to wait is because if you have a slight nitrIte problem.......or aren't done cycling..........and you go out and buy another fish, that fish very well may raise your nitrItes 1 or 2 points.....so instead of 1ppm you could be looking at 3 or 4ppm in a couple of days, ESPECIALLY in smaller tanks, and this is where it starts getting very deadly for fish and even plants!!!!

I just recently went through a TREMENDOUS nitrIte and ammonia spike. I mean, it was bad...........my Ammonia was up aroun 5ppm and my nitrItes were over 10ppms for about 1 week!!!!! Reason being is that I got rid of half of my gravel in my tank (thus removing 50% of the "good" bacteria ) My fish, toward the end, were appearing to have a few burns on them!!! ) I felt SOOOOOO bad, but they all lived through it.....even the baby cory cats that I had just bought before doing this ENORMOUSLY STUPID THING!!!!!!!!

Good luck!!!!!

 

[Fiddlesticks]

Well If silver is stupid than I am just as stupid. I did exactly the same thing. Took out too much of my old gravel at one time. Not knowing it would cycle the tank.Im finnally starting on the downhill part of the cycle. I used gravel from from my other established tank. Can you get some established gravel? Water from the other tank wont do much, as the good bacteria hang out on the surfaces of things and not the water itself.

 

[Inchworm]

Hi Hoplesswfish

Actually, you are doing very well. It's just a matter of time and the cycle will be complete.

I would recommend doing water changes more often, however. Get into the habit of vacuuming your gravel and taking out at least 25% of the water each week. This will keep your tank clean and fresh and will reduce the amount of nitrates building up.

It might slow the cycle a little, but at this point it's almost finished anyway. What it will do is save your fish unnecessary stress and that's important too. They've done a good job of helping you cycle the tank and now it's time to think of them and make them comfortable.