Nitrate spike?

[HalfMoon B]

Just checked my water params before a pwc...

Ammo 0
Nitrite 1.0
Nitrate 40ppm
pH 6.8
Temp 80.1

Tank was fully cycled before introducing fish, and only added 5 cardinal tetras and some inverts alone with my betta
Any insight?

 

[Mr. Limpet]

It shows your bacteria colonies are in good shape and 40ppm is within reasonable limits IMO, a 50% PWC will knock it down to 20ppm.

Do you have plants? Ancharis which can be floated or planted wil suck up the no3 in no time.

 

[eco23]

I agree there's plenty of conversion going on. Odd to see any no2 spike though if the tank was cycled.

Is the nitrIte reading correct?

How long ago did you introduce the fish?

What did you use to cycle the tank? (pure ammo, fish food, shrimp, etc...)

What size tank?

Were you feeding the tank ammo between the time it cycled and you added fish?

Any changes recently? Like changing filters, redecorating, etc...

Did you test the bio-filter a couple times before adding fish? (4ppm down to 0 ammo, 0 no2 in 24 hrs)

Any major fluctuations in pH when the tank finished cycling?

 

[HalfMoon B]

It's a 29 gal, no filter change, just cleaning in tank water from PWC.
Used pure ammo from ace hardware.
Dosed between cycle completion and fish introduction.
Not worries about trate, bite trite at 1.0 was bothersome
There are live plants, all low light. Anubias, amazon sword, java moss, micro sword, Asian water fern.
And just doing my water change....2 dead nerites
Wonder if they polluted the water with the trate spike...

 

[HalfMoon B]

I honestly wouldn't have even noticed since I did a 25% PWC this MORNING, but one of my cards was FREAKING out, swimming up and down in one corner.
Tonight's PWC is finished and cards are acting normal, thankfully.
Just did an 80 % to be safe.
Shhhhh, no one tell SM I accidentally killed her snails
Ugh, feel AWFUL

 

[eco23]

Assuming you cycled the tank at 4ppm and it was fully complete...I can't think of a feasible explanation for a nitrIte spike. There's no way your fish are putting out anything remotely close to 4ppm in a day. Your bio-filter should gobble it up without blinking an eye.

I think I missed how long ago the cycle completed and when the fish were added. What comes to mind is that with your pH naturally low, the water is likely low in buffers and a lot of people with values like yours have pH crashes when the cycle completes and it can stun the bacteria and make it semi-dormant for some time after. Not saying that's what happened...but that's the first thing that comes to mind.

 

[HalfMoon B]

Driftwood was added before the cycle completed, and I know that can lower ph, but I have been keeping an on it. It only dropped from 7.2 after that was added.
But the dead nerites is what is worrisome to me. They were DEFINITELY dead if you know what I mean. And I wonder how much they polluted the water too...

 

[eco23]

Driftwood was added before the cycle completed, and I know that can lower ph, but I have been keeping an on it. It only dropped from 7.2 after that was added.
But the dead nerites is what is worrisome to me. They were DEFINITELY dead if you know what I mean. And I wonder how much they polluted the water too...

Definitely a possibility I guess. I have no idea how much ammo a dead snail can produce, but I guess if a couple frozen shrimp can cycle a tank...a pair of snails past their prime could do it too.

 

[adadkins1]

I would agree that the dead snail probably had something to do with it. I had a nerite die on me and that cause a spike overnight (not sure how high) and snowballed into a difficult case of fin rot for my betta.

 

[HalfMoon B]

They hadn't moved since yesterday, si hopefully that is the cause and crisis averted...

 

[eco23]

I've gotta wonder what killed both the snails at the same time though.

 

[adadkins1]

Yes, mine was due (sadly) to the fact that there was a nitrite spike that killed the snail throwing off the params even worse. I hate fish in cycling and glad I found this site after that ordeal.

 

[HalfMoon B]

I couldn't imagine my betta attacked them. He is incredibly chill. Just does his own thing. The other two nerites are doing great though...happily zipping about and cleaning with my mystery snail...

 

[adadkins1]

How did you acclimate them? Maybe they just couldn't handle the stress of shipping and intro into your tank.

 

[HalfMoon B]

Floated for an hour to adjust temperature and the 1 hour of drip acclimation.

 

[adadkins1]

Well you did acclimation perfectly so I have no idea what exacly would have caused their demise.

 

[HalfMoon B]

Me either, which is why it bothers me so much!!
The cardinals are schooling like normal, betta is happliy flitting about. Amano shrimp are tearing through anything the can find, although, one has a nourish hue I have never noticed before...

 

[Homedog98]

Me either, which is why it bothers me so much!!

Maybe they got out-competed for food? Seems weird.

 

[HalfMoon B]

Pic attached

 

[HalfMoon B]

Maybe they got out-competed for food? Seems weird.

Its quite possible. Those amanos are fast and HUNGRY little suckers. But I would think it would have taken more than a few days of that to starve them...