Please I Am Having A Panic!api Nitrite Test Looking A Darker Blue

[pdludbrooke]

My filter cycled about 4 weeks ago and I stocked my tank, all the readings have been fine and have been doing my weekly water changes, but recently I have got my nitrIte test going a little bit more bluer (darker) than usual, I have a 100 litre tank with stock as follows

10 zebra danios
7cherry barbs
7 xrays
2 otocinclus
1 siamese fighter

I hope I haven't over stocked
I have a Fluval U3 filter suitable for a tank 90Litre-150Litre
sand substrate and planted 30 plants.

When the test came back like this before I did a 50 % water change and did a massive clean up in case any plant bits were rotting, I removed all the brown leaves as some had started to melt and cleaned the sand surface of fish poo, but now a week later the test has come back again a little bit darker not in any way purple just darker than when you first put the 5 drops in to the water and shake (api nitrIte test)
Am I panicing over nothing ?
The ammonia test comes back same perfect yellow so no ammonia, I am not going to feed any fish food for a couple of days incase I have been over feeding (NEWBIE) except a 3rd of a algae wafer for the otocinclus as these are new and I don't think I have enough algae in the tank to supply what they need.
Oh I did add a bit of courgette for a day and then removed, I done this both times ???

Am I over reacting ???

Tap water on left (what my tank water did look like) Tank water now on Right (5 mins after test)

 

[CrazyAirborne]

just keep an eye on it, and dont hesitate to do a water change if you feel it will help. it certainly wont hurt. your fish will probably be fine. its when you notice changed in their behavior that you need to start worrying!!

 

[pdludbrooke]

just keep an eye on it, and dont hesitate to do a water change if you feel it will help. it certainly wont hurt. your fish will probably be fine. its when you notice changed in their behavior that you need to start worrying!!

I added a cap of seachem prime, I'll check the nitrite in the morning, thought I had this sorted doing the fishless cycle

 

[sadguppy]

I occasionly get a slighlty darker nitrite test after adding new fish or messing with the filter, it usually goes back to normal after a few days. Do a water change if you are worried but it's blue not purple so you're probably alright tbh.

 

[pdludbrooke]

I occasionly get a slighlty darker nitrite test after adding new fish or messing with the filter, it usually goes back to normal after a few days. Do a water change if you are worried but it's blue not purple so you're probably alright tbh.

Thanks, I do want to leave it to see if it goes away on it's own, I just tested again and the colour is still the darker blue the same as in my threads pic

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

If it was me, I would do a big water change, replacing 80-90l of water in that 100l tank.

 

[Akasha72]

Hi, looks like you've got all the right answers to your Nitrite questions I just wanted to stick my oar in regarding your Oto's.

Did you know it's very very rare for Oto's to eat algae wafers? I've had 7 of the cute lil fella's and not one has touched algae wafers - there's also other posts on here from other Oto keepers saying much the same thing.

If you don't have much algae build up in your tank there's a good chance the Oto's will starve. They are fussy lil devils when it comes to food and they are also prone to just keeling over and dying for no real reason. You mentioned you put in some courgette for a day and then took it out. I put courgette in for my oto's and snails at least once a week and it lasts 2-3 days. The oto's seem to prefer it a little mushy - not sure why. It might be better to put the courgette in raw (pearce it with a spoon to weight it down) and leave it where you can see it. It took a while for my new oto's to latch on to it but they got the message in the end.

Also, to maximise the algae for them to feed 0n just clean the front panel of glass so algae can build up at the sides and back for them.

Good luck with them, they are so sweet

 

[pdludbrooke]

Hi, looks like you've got all the right answers to your Nitrite questions I just wanted to stick my oar in regarding your Oto's.

Did you know it's very very rare for Oto's to eat algae wafers? I've had 7 of the cute lil fella's and not one has touched algae wafers - there's also other posts on here from other Oto keepers saying much the same thing.

If you don't have much algae build up in your tank there's a good chance the Oto's will starve. They are fussy lil devils when it comes to food and they are also prone to just keeling over and dying for no real reason. You mentioned you put in some courgette for a day and then took it out. I put courgette in for my oto's and snails at least once a week and it lasts 2-3 days. The oto's seem to prefer it a little mushy - not sure why. It might be better to put the courgette in raw (pearce it with a spoon to weight it down) and leave it where you can see it. It took a while for my new oto's to latch on to it but they got the message in the end.

Also, to maximise the algae for them to feed 0n just clean the front panel of glass so algae can build up at the sides and back for them.

Good luck with them, they are so sweet

My otos like the wafers, the wafers have are made by Hikari (algae wafers)
I am concerned that putting that blanched courgette in has caused these problems ?

 

[Donna_G]

Don't think it would be because of the courgette as I leave it in the tank for a few days and don't get any problems

 

[pdludbrooke]

If it was me, I would do a big water change, replacing 80-90l of water in that 100l tank.

I've done what you suggested, I changed aout 80% of the water.

 

[pdludbrooke]

Don't think it would be because of the courgette as I leave it in the tank for a few days and don't get any problems

Perhaps I have been overfeeding normal fish flake then ??
I used the Aquarian advanced nutrition flake food, but I have some new stuff because I don't like the way you get a protein film on the water surface from the aquarian flake.
The new stuff I got is by a company called Hikari, they are micro pellets, will see how things go, I must say my danios are really active since I changed the water, I'm hoping this is all down to my inexperience of maybe overfeeding.

 

[pdludbrooke]

If it was me, I would do a big water change, replacing 80-90l of water in that 100l tank.

Just thought I would let you know that water change was greatly appreciated by my siamese fighter, he has built a nest over night after the 80% change.

 

[N0body Of The Goat]

Glad to read things are looking better, its amazing how often a sizeable water change can improve the look of sick looking fish. I would keep an eye on readings at least every other day until a week has gone by with perfect stats, just in case another emergency water change is required.

As to what caused the spike, did you add new fish recently? Another possiblity is that perhaps the new Hikari micro pellets contain more protein than the Aquarian flake, so if you were feeding roughly the same amount by weight, more protein is being added to the tank which will produce more ammonia and nitrite.

One final thought could be the gradual reduced efficiency of Fluval U-series filters, I gently squeeze the pads/sponges pretty much every week in removed tank water plus drain the central biomax box several times in the same water, while about once a month I completely remove the filter from the tank to clean the impeller magnet and the cavity it fits into with wet cotton buds.

 

[pdludbrooke]

Glad to read things are looking better, its amazing how often a sizeable water change can improve the look of sick looking fish. I would keep an eye on readings at least every other day until a week has gone by with perfect stats, just in case another emergency water change is required.

As to what caused the spike, did you add new fish recently? Another possiblity is that perhaps the new Hikari micro pellets contain more protein than the Aquarian flake, so if you were feeding roughly the same amount by weight, more protein is being added to the tank which will produce more ammonia and nitrite.

One final thought could be the gradual reduced efficiency of Fluval U-series filters, I gently squeeze the pads/sponges pretty much every week in removed tank water plus drain the central biomax box several times in the same water, while about once a month I completely remove the filter from the tank to clean the impeller magnet and the cavity it fits into with wet cotton buds.

I have a feeling I was over feeding the aquarian
I have been a lot more careful with the new pellets.
Nitrite reading is perfect 0ppm this morning so will keep checking, thanks for your help

 

[Akasha72]

glad to hear it's turning around and that your oto's will eat the wafers. I wish mine would