Help with High Nitrite level

[Rashad]

Hello,
I currently have a 180 gallon freshwater tank that's been cycling for a month as of today. My nitrites are at 5 ppm for over 3 weeks now. I started to cycle with a few gold fish but quickly changed my mind after 3 days of cycling. It's been cycling fish less ever since. I have done massive water changes up to %75 and nitrites are still high. Just last night I did a 60 gallon water change using nitrite free RO water. I woke up this morn and it still tested at 5ppm for nitrites. I am running a Fluval FX5, 2 sponge Filters and a power head. I have approx 250 pounds of lava rock and 3 bags of crushed coral. I got anxious and put a peacock cichlid in two days ago and he's doing great for now. Any suggestions would help!!! Thanks.

 

[BHead707]

that fish is being poisoned at that lvl of nitrites, if it were still fishless you dont need to do water changes during a cycle.

so my advice is return the fish and let the cycle run its course

 

[darkmatter_3500]

How big is the peacock cichlid? 180 gallons is alot of water to have nitrite levels that high with 1 fish especially if you are doing water changes. You should be able to control the cycle with only one fish in that size tank.

 

[BHead707]

How big is the peacock cichlid? 180 gallons is alot of water to have nitrite levels that high with 1 fish especially if you are doing water changes. You should be able to control the cycle with only one fish in that size tank.

was fishless before therefore was dosing some type of ammonia the fish has only been in there for 2 days thus the nitrite isnt from the peacock

 

[darkmatter_3500]

What are you using for Bio in the FX5? Also try and get some kind of filter material from a cycled tank from the LFS. You can use prime to help your fish through it or take the fish out. From my experience when I am stuck in the nitrite phase a little used filter material really kicks things off but at a month of cycling you should be almost there.

 

[darkmatter_3500]

was fishless before therefore was dosing some type of ammonia the fish has only been in there for 2 days thus the nitrite isnt from the peacock

That makes more sense , it should start going down with waterchanges because less ammonia available.

 

[Rashad]

Thanks for the advice. The peacock is around 3 inches. I have used prime and Special blend according to the directions on the bottles. My water and all vitals are perfect with the exception of my nitrites. I have all kinds of media in my filter, but I don't have anything that's established.

 

[darkmatter_3500]

Did you just dose prime for waterchange or for ammonia, nitrite poisoning? You can dose 5 times normal dose for ammonia and nitrite problems. It makes it less toxic for the fish and keeps it available for your bacteria. It works good when you need it. It has helped my fish during cycle crash before.

 

[darkmatter_3500]

Also have your nitrates gone up yet? When they start to go up it should not take too long for your nitrites to balance out

 

[Rashad]

Hopefully when I get home the levels would have dropped. It will be 24hrs after my last water change. The peacock seems to be fine, he's not breathing heavy and has no visible signs at this point.

 

[Rashad]

Also have your nitrates gone up yet? When they start to go up it should not take too long for your nitrites to balance out

My nitrates have not gone up just yet, been stuck at around 25ppm for 3 weeks. I dosed 5 times the amount with Prime 2 days ago and nothing changed just yet.

 

[Malawi Freak]

When is the last time you tested and how old is your test kit. Are you using strips or drops to test? Have you tested your water source but with using RO water that shouldn't be a problem. Did you clean the rocks accordingly?

 

[Malawi Freak]

My nitrates have not gone up just yet, been stuck at around 25ppm for 3 weeks. I dosed 5 times the amount with Prime 2 days ago and nothing changed just yet.

Did you use an entire bottle? Lol. I don't recommend adding chemicals to lower parameters. Water change and then another water change.

 

[Rashad]

When is the last time you tested and how old is your test kit. Are you using strips or drops to test? Have you tested your water source but with using RO water that shouldn't be a problem. Did you clean the rocks accordingly?

I'm using an API test kit. I did a 60 gallon water change last night using RO water. I cleaned the lava rocks with bleach and rinsed them off with boiling hot water. Then let them sit in the sun for 3 days before I put them into my tank. I purchased the test kit a month ago. My last test was this morning at 530am.

 

[Rashad]

Here is a picture of my tank.

 

[darkmatter_3500]

Nice looking tank!

 

[Rashad]

Nice looking tank!

Thanks. Appreciate that.

 

[Rashad]

I just added a sponge filter from an established tank. Hope it his works! I also added a hang filter with established media.