High Nitrite Levels! - Aquarium Advice

SeymourFRESH · 02-21-2006, 11:15 PM

alright, i've been testing my water on a 10 gallon QT tank with one fish in it. it's a fairly new tank (about a month old now) and i have had a sick fish in there that i am trying to cure. i foolishly added a fish to it a week after running the aquarium, without checking the levels until about a week after i had the fish in there.

well, it's been a month and after RECENTLY finally doing another water test, i find my nitrites are extremely high (like about 2.0 at least) and nitrates are 10. the fish is looking really stressed lately, and i've been doing a LOT of water changes, but it's obviously not helping the nitrites.

so i'm wondering, what do i need to do to save this fish? should i keep doing water changes or stop so i can let the cycle complete?

rich311k · 02-21-2006, 11:21 PM

Only way to lower them is to change water. Try changing 75%. Bio-spira may help if you can find it.

Lonewolfblue · 02-21-2006, 11:26 PM

Stopping water changes will cycle your tank, but it will also kill your fish. Do as said above, 75% water changes for the next 2-3 days to get the levels down, then 50% daily or every other day til it's cycled. It'll still take another month or so to complete the cycle, or a little less. Generally cycling is done in 6-8 weeks.

toddnbecka · 02-22-2006, 02:32 AM

Put a filter in or on the tank containing media from an established setup, and you won't have to wait for the tank to cycle.

02-21-2006, 11:15 PM	#1
SeymourFRESH Aquarium Advice Freak Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: St. Louis, MO Posts: 378 Images: 8	High Nitrite Levels! alright, i've been testing my water on a 10 gallon QT tank with one fish in it. it's a fairly new tank (about a month old now) and i have had a sick fish in there that i am trying to cure. i foolishly added a fish to it a week after running the aquarium, without checking the levels until about a week after i had the fish in there. well, it's been a month and after RECENTLY finally doing another water test, i find my nitrites are extremely high (like about 2.0 at least) and nitrates are 10. the fish is looking really stressed lately, and i've been doing a LOT of water changes, but it's obviously not helping the nitrites. so i'm wondering, what do i need to do to save this fish? should i keep doing water changes or stop so i can let the cycle complete?

02-21-2006, 11:26 PM	#3
Lonewolfblue Planted Geek Community Mentor Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Wenatchee, WA Posts: 7,871 Images: 7	Stopping water changes will cycle your tank, but it will also kill your fish. Do as said above, 75% water changes for the next 2-3 days to get the levels down, then 50% daily or every other day til it's cycled. It'll still take another month or so to complete the cycle, or a little less. Generally cycling is done in 6-8 weeks. __________________ 26G Medium Planted Community - 65W CF Lighting - Emperor 280 Bio-Wheel - Established Feb 2004 55G Aggressive Community - Filstar XP3 - Established Dec 2005 75G Heavily Planted - Pressurized CO2, 520W Lighting, Filstar XP3 with spraybar - Established Feb 2006 29G Planted - 130W Lighting, Filstar XP2 with spraybar - Established May 2006 5 10G Tanks - Various setups - Tanks Established May-Sep 2006. 3 currently empty. 5.5G Crypt/Java Fern Tank - Established Oct 2006 My 29G Thread : http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=78469 My 75G Thread : http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=70764 My 75G Makeover Thread: http://www.aquariumadvice.com/viewtopic.php?t=87691

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02-21-2006, 11:21 PM	#2
rich311k Aquarium Advice Addict Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 8,972 Images: 35	Only way to lower them is to change water. Try changing 75%. Bio-spira may help if you can find it.

02-22-2006, 02:32 AM	#4
toddnbecka Aquarium Advice FINatic Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Cumberland, MD Posts: 750	Put a filter in or on the tank containing media from an established setup, and you won't have to wait for the tank to cycle.