Some....news?

[HoldenOn]

Nitrite is going down because the bacteria are growing.

Just for once you can dose the tank with Prime, but don't make a habit of it. It is a chemical cocktail and the fewer chemicals we add the better.

Great. Yes I just meant for today, so that I can monitor nitrite levels without a WC. Won't do it again anytime soon . Thanks!

 

[Byron]

I'm tempted to dose the whole tank with prime and then wait another day to see if it goes down to 0. I'm also going to test my tap water right now.

Prime is not a treatment for problems, it is a conditioner that makes tap water safe. It detoxifies nitrite but it does not remove it; once Prime becomes ineffective the nitrite if still present will revert back to the toxic form. Only use Prime with fresh tap water, period. And another thing, even if it does detoxify the nitrite, our tests will still show the nitrite. Prime's effectiveness lasts 24-36 hours according to Seachem. But adding this chemical (other than with a water change) is detrimental to a healthy system, and not the answer.

Do daily water changes to get things on track.

 

[HoldenOn]

Prime is not a treatment for problems, it is a conditioner that makes tap water safe. It detoxifies nitrite but it does not remove it; once Prime becomes ineffective the nitrite if still present will revert back to the toxic form. Only use Prime with fresh tap water, period. And another thing, even if it does detoxify the nitrite, our tests will still show the nitrite. Prime's effectiveness lasts 24-36 hours according to Seachem. But adding this chemical (other than with a water change) is detrimental to a healthy system, and not the answer.

Do daily water changes to get things on track.

Thanks, I was kinda saying I wanted to dose it with Prime because my tap water has a little nitrite in it, so water changes help, but I was struggling to read lower. Read my lowest .15ish nitrite after skippin one day of water changes.

 

[Byron]

Thanks, I was kinda saying I wanted to dose it with Prime because my tap water has a little nitrite in it, so water changes help, but I was struggling to read lower. Read my lowest .15ish nitrite after skippin one day of water changes.

With nitrite in the tap water, you only have one option. Use Prime at water changes as it will detoxify that nitrite for 24-36 hours; by that point the aim/goal is to have the nitrifying bacteria, specifically the NOB (nitrite oxidizing bacteria) capable of handling the nitrite--which, as I said, will still be present until this occurs.

 

[HoldenOn]

With nitrite in the tap water, you only have one option. Use Prime at water changes as it will detoxify that nitrite for 24-36 hours; by that point the aim/goal is to have the nitrifying bacteria, specifically the NOB (nitrite oxidizing bacteria) capable of handling the nitrite--which, as I said, will still be present until this occurs.

Ye, this thread is about the fish my friend gave me before my tank was completely cycled. Have always read 0 ppm ammonia, but between .25 and .5 nitrite. Did daily water changes with API Stress Coat but I noticed nitrites wouldn't even drop after changes. Thats when I found out we had trace nitrite in our tap. So I went out and got prime and have been using that in the place of the API stuff. I was super busy 2 days ago, and missed a daily water change but still did my test. My nitrite was sub .25. I dosed with prime yesterday to see if my nitrite would continue to go down without a water change. Haven't tested yet but I hope it has.

 

[mbsqw1d]

Ye, this thread is about the fish my friend gave me before my tank was completely cycled. Have always read 0 ppm ammonia, but between .25 and .5 nitrite. Did daily water changes with API Stress Coat but I noticed nitrites wouldn't even drop after changes. Thats when I found out we had trace nitrite in our tap. So I went out and got prime and have been using that in the place of the API stuff. I was super busy 2 days ago, and missed a daily water change but still did my test. My nitrite was sub .25. I dosed with prime yesterday to see if my nitrite would continue to go down without a water change. Haven't tested yet but I hope it has.

Nitrite should still show up on a test after being treated with Prime. It is still there, just detoxified for a while. The bacteria can also still feed on it.

 

[HoldenOn]

Nitrite should still show up on a test after being treated with Prime. It is still there, just detoxified for a while. The bacteria can also still feed on it.

Exactly, thats what I wanted. Since I was technically adding nitrite with water changes, I wanted to detoxify it and give the bacteria more time to get the nitrite already in the water eaten. Does that make sense?

 

[mbsqw1d]

Exactly, thats what I wanted. Since I was technically adding nitrite with water changes, I wanted to detoxify it and give the bacteria more time to get the nitrite already in the water eaten. Does that make sense?

All good. Test tank water approx 2 hours after a water change and keep up with the daily wc's if you get a measure for nitrite.
Have you figured out what fish you'll be adding next?

 

[HoldenOn]

All good. Test tank water approx 2 hours after a water change and keep up with the daily wc's if you get a measure for nitrite.
Have you figured out what fish you'll be adding next?

No lol, but I really want a cichlid. I'm definitely bumping my cory numbers to 10 or 11 though. The only cichlids I could keep that aren't bottom dwellers are this really crazy sounding one that my LFS doesn't have. I would love a parrot but I think my tank is a bit to small (correct me if I'm wrong) . Starting to see why you guys are all saying bigger is better

 

[mbsqw1d]

No lol, but I really want a cichlid. I'm definitely bumping my cory numbers to 10 or 11 though. The only cichlids I could keep that aren't bottom dwellers are this really crazy sounding one that my LFS doesn't have. I would love a parrot but I think my tank is a bit to small (correct me if I'm wrong) . Starting to see why you guys are all saying bigger is better

I wouldn't say that's necessarily true at all, theres a lot to be said for a group of fish shoaling together (tetra, rasbora, nannostoma (pencil fish)..), and the interactions between them vs keeping one big fish.

Or theres sparkling gourami for instance, which, for a smaller fish, have some cool traits such as their 'croaking' sounds

 

[HoldenOn]

I wouldn't say that's necessarily true at all, theres a lot to be said for a group of fish shoaling together (tetra, rasbora, nannostoma (pencil fish)..), and the interactions between them vs keeping one big fish.

Or theres sparkling gourami for instance, which, for a smaller fish, have some cool traits such as their 'croaking' sounds

Yea, I would love to get some gourami/a big shoal of red minor tetra (serpae is the scientific name I think?) How many tetra could I get with my cories?

 

[mbsqw1d]

29 gallon isn't it? Do you know how long it is? I steered clear of Serpae as they're a bit fin nippy, which I just can't be bothered tolerating haha

 

[HoldenOn]

29 gallon isn't it? Do you know how long it is? I steered clear of Serpae as they're a bit fin nippy, which I just can't be bothered tolerating haha

30 inches long. I heard they can be fin nippy, but will that calm down if I keep enough?

 

[mbsqw1d]

30 inches long. I heard they can be fin nippy, but will that calm down if I keep enough?

I believe that's the idea but I've never kept them so have no experience.
I don't think it would stop them completely from nipping another fish, and so I find that it ultimately reduces the list of potential future tank mates.
I was close to getting a good number of lemon tetra and black widows.
Pencil fish could be an option, i know Byron has experience of keeping those

 

[HoldenOn]

Those are pretty! Wonder how many I could keep. @Byron ?