Tank still cycling

[Sheila]

OK...have been reading up a lot on tank cycling and nitrites and came across this:

Nitrite is formed by the conversion of ammonia by nitrifying bacteria. Nitrite is toxic to fish because it binds with the hemoglobin in fish’s blood to form methemoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen through the body while methemoglobin does not, so fish in high nitrite waters may suffocate even if sufficient oxygen is present. If enough methemoglobin is present in a fish’s blood, it will cause the blood to appear brown instead of red. Consequently, nitrite toxicity is often called “brown blood disease.”

If nitrite is present, a water change should be performed. If the fish species in the tank will tolerate increased salinity, salt can be added to the aquarium to increase the level of chloride in the water. Chloride levels should be at least six times greater than nitrite levels. Chloride prevents the uptake of nitrite by the fish’s blood thus eliminating the effects of brown blood disease. However, the addition of salt/chloride does not remove nitrite from the system, and the source of the nitrite must be controlled.

My question....will this work and if it will....do I have any fish that wouldn't tolerate the salt (look at my signature for fishies in the tank). If I should do this, how much do you add?

 

[tstenback]

Patience Sheila the advice you have received from modernhamlet and the rest is good advice. I would not mess around right now until the cycle completes. Part of the cycle is the production of nitrates. Do you have a nitrate reading (or did i miss it in the text). You have come this far i would let things work themselves out for a while yet. The salt will bother all fish without scales and i am not sure about your frogs. Good Luck and keep hanging in there it is almost over.

 

[konrad05]

I don't think you should play around with adding salt to your tank. That's just asking for more trouble. Some fish tolerate a small amount of salt, others don't at all. If fish aren't dying everyday, then just wait it out. Don't change your filter by any means, and don't change your water everyday. Once or twice a week should be enough when starting. What you need is a lot of nitrifying bacteria, not chemicals/additives.

 

[Sheila]

Ok...made a trip to my local PetSmart and told them the trouble I've had...they're the ones that got me into this in the first place. Anyway....I bought a nitrate test kit and requested gravel from one of their tanks to help my tank out. They looked at me like as if I'd grown 3 horns and said they'd never heard of that...one girl went to another and they both knew nothing....so they asked the manager who said "well...it's worth a try...give her a bagful". So, I came home a little bit ago...found my bala shark and one of the buenes aires tetras dead....did a 50% water change and properly dechlorinated it before adding to tank...added stress zyme, then took the gravel they gave me.....lucky me...it's the same exact color of gravel I have in my tank...so I just sprinkled it in a thin layer over my tank....I am crossing my fingers that this will help. I did test my nitrites before and after the big water change...it was 1.6 before and down to 0.8 after (YEAH!!!) A noticeable difference. My nitrates I tested also and they are at 5...so, guess I'm getting there.

 

[tstenback]

Fabulous after all the problems it looks like you are on your way. Keep us posted..Good Luck and happy fish keeping

 

[konrad05]

give it a few days and make sure there's good circulation in the tank, nitrites should be gone very soon. Put in some elodea plant if you want some extra help in biological filtration.