*URGENT* PLEASE HELP NITRITE/AMMONIA SKPIKE

[kurtjs]

Good afternoon everyone, yesterday I added some live plants to my aquarium and this morning I noticed the water was cloudy.

I tested the water and found that the nitrite spiked to 1 and ammonia to 2 (I think was the number) the nitrate wasn't good either.

I have had some trouble with nitrate in the past but nothing fatal.

I was planning on doing a 50% water change ASAP
I also have some Seachum Stability I was going to add after (I add that at water changes anyways but thought maybe doing a "new tank"
cycle of it)
Please let me know if you have any other emergency suggestions or additive I can use if I need to. I love my fish

 

[kurtjs]

Also I forgot to add that I did a 25% water change two days ago, a day before I added the plants.

 

[kurtjs]

And one more thing, the tank is about 4 months old and nitrites have always been 0. Ammonia has been around .5 or so

 

[Byron]

The plants themselves did not cause ammonia or nitrite spikes, but it may be that in planting them you disturbed some dead spots in the substrate. I did this once. Major water changes are needed until ammonia and nitrite are zero and remain there. As you have the Stability, use it, but don't waste money on any more. Tetra's SafeStart is better, it has the correct bacteria (Stability does not). Major water change means 80% of the tank volume, using the conditioner. You don't mention which, but if it is Prime, OK for this purpose; remember it detoxifies (sort of) amonia and nitrite temporarily, Seachem says 24-36 hours, but these still show on tests so be diligent with water changes daily.

Re the ammonia, do you have chloramine added to your tap water? If yes, don't worry about the ammonia at that low a level, the plants and bacteria will easily handle this going forward.

 

[kurtjs]

The plants themselves did not cause ammonia or nitrite spikes, but it may be that in planting them you disturbed some dead spots in the substrate. I did this once. Major water changes are needed until ammonia and nitrite are zero and remain there. As you have the Stability, use it, but don't waste money on any more. Tetra's SafeStart is better, it has the correct bacteria (Stability does not). Major water change means 80% of the tank volume, using the conditioner. You don't mention which, but if it is Prime, OK for this purpose; remember it detoxifies (sort of) amonia and nitrite temporarily, Seachem says 24-36 hours, but these still show on tests so be diligent with water changes daily.

Re the ammonia, do you have chloramine added to your tap water? If yes, don't worry about the ammonia at that low a level, the plants and bacteria will easily handle this going forward.

I use the Top Fin water conditioner, I can get the Seachum Prime if it's better. Also I will check out the tetra safestart also

 

[kurtjs]

I use the Top Fin water conditioner, I can get the Seachum Prime if it's better. Also I will check out the tetra safestart also

Also I checked my water company and says nothing about chloramine. Any suggestions in regards to ammonia

 

[Byron]

I use the Top Fin water conditioner, I can get the Seachum Prime if it's better. Also I will check out the tetra safestart also

Given recent discussions on Prime I would not recommend it. Even here, you're better without. Do the water changes and things should settle. It may be something else (other members may have ideas) but I suspect what I suggested previously. You have not used any medications recently, have you? I had nitrite once and only once after a medication (which did no good anyway, lesson learned).

SafeStart is fine, follow the directions, the smallest bottle will do you, as once opened it will not last.

 

[Byron]

Also I checked my water company and says nothing about chloramine. Any suggestions in regards to ammonia

We have had other members with this, and so far as I can remember we never find the issue. Chloramine is one thing that does it, as this is chlorine and ammonia.

 

[Ellie11]

do big 75% water changes until those levels drop! As in daily or more than once a day. But one should do it & carefully monitor params.

i use API tap water conditioner. Available in large jugs at Amazon.

 

[kurtjs]

Given recent discussions on Prime I would not recommend it. Even here, you're better without. Do the water changes and things should settle. It may be something else (other members may have ideas) but I suspect what I suggested previously. You have not used any medications recently, have you? I had nitrite once and only once after a medication (which did no good anyway, lesson learned).

SafeStart is fine, follow the directions, the smallest bottle will do you, as once opened it will not last.

That’s better. I’ll check it tomorrow morning again see how it’s doing

 

[kurtjs]

do big 75% water changes until those levels drop! As in daily or more than once a day. But one should do it & carefully monitor params.

i use API tap water conditioner. Available in large jugs at Amazon.

Did a big change. Used some conditioner as normal. And some safe start based off other research. Pretty small amount. Numbers look a lot better. I’ll check it in the AM and go from there

 

[Stefan3289]

View attachment 309298
Did a big change. Used some conditioner as normal. And some safe start based off other research. Pretty small amount. Numbers look a lot better. I’ll check it in the AM and go from there

what kind of substrate do you have, and how much? (Like inches of substrate from bottom to surface) Also, what size is the tank and what fish do you have? I agree with Byron as depending on how you syphon for example if it is gravel could cause a big crash in the cycle since it has only been running a few months.

 

[kurtjs]

what kind of substrate do you have, and how much? (Like inches of substrate from bottom to surface) Also, what size is the tank and what fish do you have? I agree with Byron as depending on how you syphon for example if it is gravel could cause a big crash in the cycle since it has only been running a few months.

Early on I went from gravel to sand. I have about 2-2.5”. With the sand I just hover the top. But when I was planting my live plants I was digging in there, with the root tans also. That might have caused a problem with dead spots I think they are referred as.

I have 4 corys and 4 swimmers. Danios and harlequins.

 

[Stefan3289]

Yeah it seems as if you hit a dead spot. I tried to convert one of my tanks to sand and it for me at least did no work well. Planting the plants definitely would’ve caused some debris to come up. From what I remember I was told when cleaning sand substrate it that you want to lightly stir up the surface in case there is anything underneath that’s unreachable and then go over the top, but I would not take this advice as fact. I’m sure if you keep up some large water changes focusing on getting as much debris from the bottom it go down quite a lot

 

[Kyanite14]

Given recent discussions on Prime I would not recommend it. Even here, you're better without. Do the water changes and things should settle. It may be something else (other members may have ideas) but I suspect what I suggested previously. You have not used any medications recently, have you? I had nitrite once and only once after a medication (which did no good anyway, lesson learned).

SafeStart is fine, follow the directions, the smallest bottle will do you, as once opened it will not last.

Wait what about prime? I use it for my tank, is there an issue with it?