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Advice Needed Re Nitrites


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#1 stewie17

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Posted 11 June 2017 - 10:55 AM

Seeking advice regarding nitrites in my cichlids tank, its only a temporary tank untill i can get a new larger tank with better filtration in a couple of months. using API freshwater master test , NO2 produces results showing nitrites are 5.0ppm. nitrates are 0ppm, high range ph is sitting about 7.5. slowly trying to push the ph up to @8. i have done two 30% water changes in the last two days and made no differance to the test results. The tank isnt heavly stocked ( 8 electric yellows ,3 benga peacocks and 1 blue peacock cichlid in @ 190Lt tank ) and i have four reasonably healthy locking amazon swords growing in the tank. I havnt feed the fish for 24 hours and probably wont for another 24.

Any advice would be appreciated

 



#2 humbug

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Posted 11 June 2017 - 11:45 AM

How long has your tank been running, stewie?  I'm guessing we are talking about a new tank which is still cycling. 

If you have nitrites present then you know that the cycle is at least on its way.  My advice would be to dose with one of the complex water conditioners (ie Seachem Prime, Seachem Safe, Continuum Fraction) every 24 hours to help detoxify the nitrite and any ammonia to keep your fish safe.  Keep this up, and monitor your water conditions, until ammonia and nitrite readings are zero.  By this stage you should be seeing nitrate readings.



#3 stewie17

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Posted 11 June 2017 - 01:41 PM

Tank has been running for well over a month



#4 malawiman85

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Posted 11 June 2017 - 03:14 PM

Recycles/ mini cycles aren't unusual. But as you have 0 nitrate you have either a completely uncycled tank or a dud test kit or user error.
Humbug's got you on the right track. Use Prime or similar to temporarily detoxify and watch your readings closely.
If readings become a worry, move fish or do some water changes.
Prime and water changes should keep things under control until your filter catches up.
If fish are struggling due to nitrite or ammo spike consider treating fish with salt at about 3ppt and up to 6ppt for species not sensitive to salt.

#5 Delapool

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Posted 11 June 2017 - 04:33 PM

Just adding that on the mini-cycle I had I was doing water changes daily and 30% (with buckets!) and it took a week plus to come down. Some days I felt like I wasn't achieving anything.


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#6 bigjohnnofish

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Posted 12 June 2017 - 01:04 AM

with the water conditioners available these days - prime and its imitators dont be frightened to do large water changes..... 50% daily - or you can do even larger if need be to get nitrites down.... 5ppm nitrite is far more toxic than 5ppm of ammonia... if i had 5ppm of ammonia i'd be doing a big water change straight up....

other than that i think above replies have it pretty much covered.... 

 

and an ammonia test would also be handy to eliminate a few possibilities



#7 stewie17

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Posted 12 June 2017 - 12:00 PM

Thanks guys for the advice, ammonia levels were low which is why i was puzzled. Treated the tank with prime and installed a new / additional nitrite-nitrate pad into the filter, will test water again soon.

May have to put additional thought into my new (planning ) set up . Getting a new 1530x760x610 tank soon and plan in getting a pair of eheim 2217 filters for it. As i said still planning stand and 3D back ground and reasearching best positions for intakes and outputs .

Thanks again



#8 werdna

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Posted 12 June 2017 - 12:32 PM

What filter are you using?

Is it an inbuilt filter with just one pad? If so, upgrade that filter.

If you are getting 2 eheims for the new tank when you get it, why not get one now? Then you have that added bonus of having a fully cycled filter when you setup the new tank and save this problem rearing its head again.

People on here don't really like natural remedies for some reason, but 1ppt of pool salt (ie. 200 grams) in the tank will completely mitigate against nitrite poisoning while your filter completes its cycling process.

If you do a 50% water change later, top up with another 100grams of salt till everything has cycled and you can stop adding salt.

Then you don't have to worry as much about daily water changes which will only really slow down the cycle process.



#9 stewie17

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Posted 12 June 2017 - 08:29 PM

Had thought of that but its a matter of not having saved enough money yet and waiting on a tax return to finance the new tank. One of the downsides of having children preparing for university is lack of cash flow. but will certanly look at thesalt opion .



#10 malawiman85

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Posted 12 June 2017 - 09:57 PM

anyone know a good accountant? :-)

#11 Ageofaquariums

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Posted 13 June 2017 - 09:12 AM

Any idea what triggered the nitrite spike, or is it just a drawn out cycle?

 

Making sure filters arent being cleaned in tap water is always something I check :)



#12 stewie17

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Posted 13 June 2017 - 10:50 AM

I am guessing but i have probably been overfeeding, recently purchased 4, 12cm peacock cichlids and assumed larger fish required more feeding, doing another water change today



#13 stewie17

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Posted 13 June 2017 - 01:19 PM

Just tested water again nitrates still 5ppm. dosed yesterday with prime 5 x the recomended and has mad no differance, at my witts end, water changes and prime have made no differance



#14 werdna

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Posted 13 June 2017 - 07:43 PM

anyone know a good accountant? :-)


If all goes well this will be one of the forum accountants last year...

#15 malawiman85

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Posted 13 June 2017 - 08:10 PM

Nice.
I did 9 years of tax returns last month. was a bit worried.

Prime won't remove it, it makes it temporarily safe for fish.

#16 Delapool

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Posted 13 June 2017 - 10:20 PM

Just tested water again nitrates still 5ppm. dosed yesterday with prime 5 x the recomended and has mad no differance, at my witts end, water changes and prime have made no differance


Yeah, it really suckth and the novelty goes quick. And after a pwc will still be off the charts. Are you doing water changes with buckets or drainage hose?



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#17 bigjohnnofish

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Posted 14 June 2017 - 12:11 AM

Just tested water again nitrates still 5ppm. dosed yesterday with prime 5 x the recomended and has mad no differance, at my witts end, water changes and prime have made no differance

 

Nitrates  or  Nitrites ???? didnt you have 5ppm of Nitrite ?  or was that nitrate ?  A or I and make a big difference



#18 stewie17

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Posted 14 June 2017 - 07:24 PM

Nitrites 5ppm, nitrates @ 60ppm .sick of wasting my time may empty tank scrape the substrate and start again, cant see any other way.

#19 Delapool

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Posted 15 June 2017 - 07:46 AM

It sucks but you are on the home straight and ph looked fine for bacteria. Can you run a drainage pipe to bath tub or outside? I had ammonia over 5ppm so by the time it gets to nitrates, big water changes are needed.


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#20 werdna

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Posted 15 June 2017 - 09:39 PM

Ignoring test results, are you fish acting different?




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