After some help, --- high nitrites & ammonia

[boneys26]

Hi guys. For years I've wanted to keep fish I find them relaxing to watch.

About 18 months ago I started a cold freshwater tank. nothing major as i wanted to make sure i was up to keeping the fish alive and well. 28L tank with 5 Danio and 2 sucking loach,

Last week I had a talk with the wife and we both wanted to start a warm freshwater Tank, so off we went again nothing major I got a 64L tank with 4 live plants, I've done my 1st part water change etc but have a little trouble with my water test results,

Water temp 25c
PH 8.0
Ammonia 0.25ppm
Nitrite no2 5.0ppm
Nitrite no3 20ppm

I'm treating the water with PH down, aiming for PH 7.0 as the fish i want will live happily with that PH level, I'm not worried about the Ammonia as its a new tank and the filter is just starting. but what can I do about the Nitrites? I know both should be at 0ppm and water changes help but is there anything else i can do?

My tank setup is
64L fishbox
Elite stingray 15 filter
Water heater (up to 75L) Placed rear of the tank in the middle at a angle /
Air pump with 6" airstone
4 live plants
1 rock and Ornament

Feel free to bash my setup if anything is wrong after all fish cant talk

 

[hdultra]

About all I can think of is water changes. Your well into the cycle process. I think you'll just have to endure the process. IMO

 

[tyspot1000]

How long has the tank been setup? It seems to me that your ammonia is going down and your nitrite is starting to come up, meaning your in the middle of your cycle. Like said, I would let the cycle do its thing, the levels will go down by themselves in time, no need to do water changes.

Oh, Just a word of advice, Dont ever use chemicals do your Ph, it doesnt really work and can effect your cycle. Really, If fish are acclimated properly, they will do fine in a Higher ph than what recommended for them. Have you considered using a piece of driftwood to lower your Ph?

 

[BigJim]

First, quit screwing with the pH. Unless you're keeping something like wild angels, which I hope you're not in that tank, the fish will adapt. Pouring chemicals into the tank is generally a bad idea. If I'm not treating an illness, the only chemical that enters my tanks is a dechlorinator.

Second, you're really close to completing the cycle. Do PWCs to control the ammonia and nitrite. You may have to do several PWCs a week and even more than once a day.

FYI, you don't really need the air pump. It's not hurting anything if you like the bubbles, but it's not really necessary.

 

[jsoong]

Do you have fish in that tank? or are you cycling fishless?

In either case, since you already have one cycled tank, you can hasten the cycle by seeding the new tank with some filter media from the old. Given enough bacteria transfer, you can eliminate the ammonia & nitrite spikes altogether. <Much less work than all the pwc's!>

 

[boneys26]

Thanks for the heads up on PH

No its not stocked yet, only about 9 days since setup so just cycling making sure filter and tank are ready before I start adding the fish.

Nitrites are now clearing but Ammonia remained the same:
Ammonia: 0.25ppm
Nitrite no2: 1.0ppm
Nitrite no3: 10ppm

As for the air pump, I read somewhere that live plants release Co2 over night and o2 during the day so I just wanted to cover bases and make sure the fish dont stress or die from co2 poisoning, and a few bubbles add to a little extra something.

 

[BigJim]

Just so you know, NO3 is nitrAte, not nitrIte. It makes a big difference when trying to diagnose tank problems.

On that note, don't bother testing for nitrates until you see your nitrites fall. Nitrites can throw off the nitrate test.

I've heard of people doing this in planted tanks, but I don't really see the need. If it's working for you, I don't see any reason to change.

 

[jsoong]

If you are doing fishless cycling, there is no need for pwc's to keep the nitrites down. Just wait it out & let the bacteria build up. Once you have zero ammonia & nitrites, then do 50% pwc before you add fish.

Although plants do release CO2 at night, this is no difference than having an extra fish (that also release CO2 - but day and night). As long as you have adequate water circulation with your regular filter, an airstone is not necessary. <Not harmful either ... so it is your choice.> If you are really paranoid, you can test the pH day & night, accumulating CO2 would drop the pH. <Note that even in heavily planted tank, with injected CO2, people don't find any need for airstone at night ... for 4 plants, I don't expect any CO2 problem at all.>