help! Nitrate too high :(

[loubeardy]

ok, another question (man i love this site and all you guys on it) I have a new tank (5 weeks old, maybe 6.. I added a betta 4 days ago). my ammonia is 0 but my nitrite is .2/3 ... is this because I'm still going through the cycling process? I thought I had finished cycling before adding my betta...
I keep doing water changes using RO water (my tap water contains nitrate!!!) and I make sure my betta eats all the food I give him. I try and stay on top of picking out dead leaves off plants.... but that can be fiddly. Any ideas? shall I just keep up with the water changes.... will the water eventually stabilise if I just stick with it?

Thanks.

 

[BBradbury]

lou...

The nitrogen cycle takes roughly a month, most times longer. If you have traces of nitrite in the water, the tank isn't cycled. Test the water daily and if you have a positive test for ammonia or nitrite, remove 25 percent of the water and replace it with pure, treated tap water. When several tests show no traces of ammonia or nitrite, the tank is cycled.

RO water is sterile with nothing in it to help steady the water chemistry. Most aquarium fish are tolerant of higher nitrate levels. Nitrate has be extremely high and remain that way, before most aquarium fish are stressed. Use your tap water to do the changes. It's more important to keep a steady water chemistry than a particular chemistry.

Add some floating plants to the tank like Horwort. These plants will use the nitrates and help steady the tank water between water changes.

B

 

[loubeardy]

I have been religiously testing my water... and will continue to do so. I'll use tap water if it's better than RO. what do you mean by treated tap water (using water conditioner??)
I'll do another wayer chnage using tap water tomorrow morning (I'm reluctant to do another tonight as another change could stress my betta?). off to fish store tomorrow so will pick up some hornwort (I have loads of plants already but knowing my luck they are the ones that don't help with nitrite/nitrate.
will my tank eventually cycle itself or will this be a forever deal?
(thank you for the reply and all the advice. I've done loads of research but I think some things are going to be 'learn as you do')

 

[BBradbury]

lou...

You have to use a water treatment to remove the chlorine and chloramines the public water people put into the tap water to make it safe for you to drink. I use Seachem's "Safe". This is treated, tap water. I use the old bucket method for my water changes. This way I make sure the water is safe for my fish.

The nitrogen cycle takes time. Be patient. Test the water every day and change 25 percent when you have a positive test for either ammonia or nitrite. When you have several daily tests with no ammonia or nitrite, the tank is cycled. Then you can add more fish and follow the same steps as before until the tank is fully stocked.

B

 

[loubeardy]

OK, I am ready have some treatment stuff so will be ready for the morning what is the bucket method? I've not come across this term.
awesome. I think I'm going to met my betta keep the tank to himself. he seems pretty happy with it... and I plan to pick up some 'toys' so he doesn't get bored
thank you

 

[Lev]

Sorry to answer your question with a question - but could the problem be related to overfeeding the betta? The reason I ask is that I've got a fairly new tank also (containing 5 mollies) and I struggle to know how much to feed them, and its always gross seeing all the turd and uneaten food when I gravel vac!!!

I'm new to fishkeeping, but an old hat with my biology and chemistry - and if your tank is full of friendly nitrifying bacteria then any excess organic material will quickly be turned from ammonia to nitrites and then nitrates. Could excess organic material (fish food) be causing excess nitrate?

PS: is the problem with nitrites (implying to me a cycling issue) or nitrates as the title of the thread suggests?

 

[Mcfly]

Bucket Method: Siphon tank water out into 'dirty water' bucket.
Fill "clean water" bucket with tap water-RO/DI mix and add conditioner (API Prime/Seachem Safe etc..) then fill tank with clean water (Get a cheap pond pump from a big box store, and you can pump the water back in... just a whole lot easier) Use new 5 gallon buckets from the Home Depot... I have orange for old water, and white for new water... Eliminates confusion. Only use these buckets for your fishy water, if you use the bucket method.

100% RO/DI water should not be used in a freshwater aquarium because there are minerals in the water that benefit the fish. If your tap water is very hard, use 75% conditioned tap water to 25% RO/DI water.

Everywhere I've lived there has been nitrates in the tap water... mine is @ 5 ppm. As long as it's below 20 ppm it will be fine to use WITH RO/DI water for water changes.

 

[loubeardy]

no I'm not over feeding him. I feed him a peice at a time and watch him eat each bit (I repeat this throughout the day as I know little and often - not too often- is better for their teeny tummy!). it is easier to do this with a betta cause he comes up to my finger and waits for me to dip the peice of food in. saying that I have a heavily planted tank and some rotting leaves (which i get to fish out of and when I can).

is your new tank having nitrite/nitrate fluctuations?

I cleaned my filter this morning as it was getting clogged up.. maybe I disturbed the bacteria. bit have also been told that nitrites will spike as part of the cycling (my tank is still super new and betta is the first inhabitant so maybe affecting the cycling of it??)

 

[loubeardy]

part RO part tap seems easy enough.. and makes sense thanks everyone (again! you've been super helpful don't know what I did before I found this site haha )

 

[Lev]

I've not - but my tank had a jumpstart from a used filter and also is very large for my current stock - I have 5 mollies in a 350 litre tank! I'm hoping to get them some buddies soon.

My little quarantine tank has been having nitrate issues though and I found a big bolus of bloodworm in it yesterday - god knows how that even got in there must have dropped it in - but anywho its been festering away in one of the decorative plants and since ive removed it (so far...) things seem better

 

[loubeardy]

oh wow.. yeah thay is a big tank haha I would love that. but I'm surprised my mum allowed me a 68l as it is... a 350l would certainly be pushing it!
fingers crossed my nitrites settle soon! I love my Betta already! I'll do a wayer chnage in the morning. (I won't do a second one today.. don't think he'd like that).
haha whatever fish goes into quarantine will love those bloodworm and I'm sure will sort the population out haha

 

[Betta keeper]

I love Seachem Prime for detoxification of unwanted elements

It is a water conditioner, so you add it to your bucket before you pour into the tank. It detoxifies ammonia, nitrite and nitrates, and removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water

If you are filling using buckets, you can also leave the water out overnight to let it come to room temperature, which will not be too far off of tank water usually. The chlorine will evaporate overnight too.

 

[Mcfly]

I love Seachem Prime for detoxification of unwanted elements

It is a water conditioner, so you add it to your bucket before you pour into the tank. It detoxifies ammonia, nitrite and nitrates, and removes chlorine and chloramine from tap water

If you are filling using buckets, you can also leave the water out overnight to let it come to room temperature, which will not be too far off of tank water usually. The chlorine will evaporate overnight too.

I use Prime for water conditioning too... Just to 'clarify': The chlorine and chloramines are permanently removed, the other 'toxins' will return in time...

 

[Betta keeper]

I didn't think Prime removed the other toxins...only makes them less toxic for fish, whilst you Deal with the issue causing them?

For example, if I use Prime to detoxify ammonia during an ammonia spike, it remains at the same level but is not poisonous for 24hours....thus giving time to deal with the source. For a prolonged spike, or during cycling, frequent water changes and dosing with Prime can prevent fish deaths