Dangerously high NO3 and NO2 levels

[Beefsteaks]

Hi all
I really need some help please!!! I have Malawi cichlids started off with 12 small fish in a 70 litre tank running two fluval U2 filters. Everything has been fine according to my tetra 6in1 test strips for about 7 weeks (not including my 8 days water cycle) before putting my first shoal of fish in. I recently brought 3 more an two small catfish on Saturday jus past, I done another water test 3-4 hours after introducing new fish and water levels had not changed and remained really good? But I done 25% water change on the Sunday evening and Since the water change my NO3 and NO2 levels have gone through the roof an are dangerously high??? Really worried about my fish because of that water reading! I have done a 30% yesterday and a 50% water change today with not to much change to them levels??
Any advice to what to do and any criticism about what I have done would be much appreciated!!
Thanks all

 

[Kirky88]

Hi I'm only fairly new so people with more expertise I'm sure will chime in, my first thought is that the test strips can be very inaccurate especially if they are 7 weeks old.
Also with a 70 litre tank that is a lot of fish in that amount of water meaning that your water parameters are going to be very hard to keep optimal.

So as far as your options, if you can afford it upgrade your tank to at least a 200 litre (4ft tank which is generally the minimum size recommended for Malawi cichlids) but obviously that's not always practical.

The other option would be to look a re homing some of your stock, I don't know a whole lot on Malawi but with your tank size you may be better looking at new world cichlids

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Nice job Kirky I wish someone would have told me that when I started lol

Anyways
That is all true but depending on what Malawi species you have you may be able to upgrade to a 40 breeder. The only option if not that would be to re home them all. sorry for the bad news

 

[Beefsteaks]

Understood totally agree with you both, bigger tank is on the agender an yes proberly is couple to many to soon? With a fair amount of research though an asking lots of questions in a few different shops I have been told I do have a well stocked but not over stocked tank with good filtration? I'm going to buy some live plants later to try help with bringing my levels down and I have ordered some seachem prime which is suppose to be really good at keeping them levels at bay? So fingers crossed that I can get this sorted ASAP!!
Much appreciated guys

 

[Kirky88]

Keep up the water changes they will be your friend because even with great filtration it will be the only way to reduce nitrates also I'd you can afford it get a liquid test kit which does ph ammonia nitrites and nitrates, I have the api master fresh water kit. Will help with more accurate results and last a long time.

 

[julielover]

Your cycling isn't complete util your Nitrites are near zero. Adding new fish during cycling will also keep your Nitrites up. Once cycling is complete, do a 30% water change to remove some of the Nitrates (they don't cycle out). Make another 30% change a few days later.

 

[tiger terror]

Your absolute goal is to have a steady ph, 0 ammo,0 nitrites& minimal nitrates 5-15ppm..

 

[Andrew McFadden]

Understood totally agree with you both, bigger tank is on the agender an yes proberly is couple to many to soon? With a fair amount of research though an asking lots of questions in a few different shops I have been told I do have a well stocked but not over stocked tank with good filtration? I'm going to buy some live plants later to try help with bringing my levels down and I have ordered some seachem prime which is suppose to be really good at keeping them levels at bay? So fingers crossed that I can get this sorted ASAP!!
Much appreciated guys

The people at the stores have no clue half the time. You can stick by there side and believe everything they say if that's what you want to do.
African Cichlids really need a 4' tank some of the smaller species can be stocked in a 40g breeder. Some can even be stocked in 29g specie tanks for breeding. But then again they need to be some of the smaller ones.
This tank is so overstocked you are probably going to need to do 100% water changes daily to keep the chemicals stable in that small of a tank. Even then if you do that them little guys are going to grow and kill each other over not having enough space and everyone will be in everyone territory.

 

[Beefsteaks]

Yep ok Andrew understand that. My fish are only young at the moment and very small so as they grow, so will my tank and my knowledge! I do have a lot of rock work in my tank so there is many passages an caves an holes and they seem happy enough with the way they interact with each other? There's no squabbles or bullying going on! But your advice and criticism is much appreciated