To do a water change or not

[Katiebug4lake]

Hi everyone...I am like all newbies and purchased a 36 Gallon Bowfront and LFS said I could add fish after a few days.


After adding 3 fish per week and after 4 weeks losing half of them I then found this sight.

I now know about cycling...

Ok...here is my dilemma, my nitrites are off the charts...I was doing daily water changes...then went to LFS to purchase more Prime and was told to not feed the fish for 3 days and discontinue water changes and testing for a few days and let the tank work itself out.

I did as told but did test the water today..nitrites still 5.0 ppm

May 8

Nitrite 5.0 ppm
Nitrate 80 ppm.
Ammonia 0

Did 25% w/c

Re-test a few hours after w/c and nitrates were 10 ppm and Nitrates still 5.0

May 9

Nitrite 5.0
Nitrate 10 ppm.
Ammonia 0

May 10

Nitrite 5.0
Nitrate 5.0 ppm
Ammonia 0

50 percent water change

May 11

Nitrite 5.0
Nitrate 5.0 ppm
Ammonia 0

50 percent water change

Nitrite .25
Nitrate 20 ppm
Ammonia 0

Visit to LFS for Prime was advised as above not to change water, test water or feed fish for 3 days..

May 14

Nitrite 5.0
Nitrate 5.0
Ammonia 0

API Freshwater Master Test Kit I'm using....

Water change or not? I truly appreciate any advice..I am afraid of losing any more fish..
Current stock, 3 platys, 2 Cory's,5 black widow tetras and a little pleco I haven't seen since I put him in..
Have had tank set up since April 12.

 

[Katiebug4lake]

Meant to type on May 8th after w/c Nitrites still at 5.0 ppm

 

[lovemyguppies]

A nitrite reading of 5ppm is way too high. With a fish in cycle anything above .25ppm reading for ammonia or nitrites is cause for an immediate pwc. You'll need to do several water changes to get nitrites down. Also if nitrates are above 20 ppm you should do a pwc to lower those. I'd be cautious of the advice from your lfs because that was pretty bad advice they gave you. Also are you using test strips or a liquid test?

 

[lovemyguppies]

Never mind about test just saw you're using api test kit.

 

[Katiebug4lake]

Thanks....is a 50 percent too much right now?

 

[lovemyguppies]

Definitely not too much. I'd do at least 2 back to back 50% pwc's if not more.

 

[Katiebug4lake]

Doing now.....the LFS contradicted everything I've read on here. Thank you....

 

[Matt68005]

Your worrying about the specifics too much. All you do is change the water every 3-4 days and keep adding prime and stress zyme until the ammonia is down. Nitrates are not as harmful as ammonia, your fish will be fine if you keep changing it until its cycled off.

 

[Convict2161]

Agreed, do your water changes and keep levels in a "safe" zone. You don't need stress zyme and Prime IMO. Prime will do just fine

JMO. Less is more.

 

[lovemyguppies]

Your worrying about the specifics too much. All you do is change the water every 3-4 days and keep adding prime and stress zyme until the ammonia is down. Nitrates are not as harmful as ammonia, your fish will be fine if you keep changing it until its cycled off.

When nitrItes are 5 ppm, you can't just do a water change every 3-4 days. That level of nitrIte is very toxic. A pwc should be done whenever nitrIte is above .25 ppm

 

[Katiebug4lake]

My Nitrites are still 5 ppm and Ammonia zero. Nitrates 5 ppm. Not concerned with nitrates right now. It's the nitrites that are scaring me.

 

[Katiebug4lake]

I just add prime after water change.

 

[lovemyguppies]

Have you tested your tap to see if it has any nitrites? Also how long after water changes do you wait to test again?

 

[Katiebug4lake]

I tested my tap water and it is zero for all. I retest usually the following morning before I go to work. Sometimes within 3 hours after w/c at night.

 

[lovemyguppies]

Try doing back to back 75% pwc's then retest an hour later.

 

[Katiebug4lake]

Hi everyone:

Just got home from work and tested my water.

Nitrite .50 ppm. Yaaaaay. Much better

Nitrate 2.0 ppm

Ammonia .25

Ph 7.6

I did a 50% water change last night.

Since my nitrites are still above the 0.25 should I do a smaller water change tonight?

Thank you all so much for your help and patience with me. Much appreciated

 

[lovemyguppies]

Hi everyone:

Just got home from work and tested my water.

Nitrite .50 ppm. Yaaaaay. Much better

Nitrate 2.0 ppm

Ammonia .25

Ph 7.6

I did a 50% water change last night.

Since my nitrites are still above the 0.25 should I do a smaller water change tonight?

Thank you all so much for your help and patience with me. Much appreciated

You still want to get nitrites down below .25 so if i was you i would still do a 50 % pwc

 

[absolutangel04]

2 things:
1. Salt will make nitrites not harmful to fish. You can add salt while you are still cycling, assuming your fish are all ok with salt.
2. Prime or Amquel plus both temporarily detoxify nitrites. If you use either of those products (Prime is usually cheaper) while your tank is still cycling, then the test will show nitrite, but it won't hurt the fish. I believe it is only 48 hours or so that it neutralizes the 'trites though, so you have to double check that.

 

[Katiebug4lake]

I'm using salt...read up on it on this forum. So far so good. Doing w/c daily and fish seem happy. Will be glad when I'm cycled. Thank you.

 

[Pearly]

Hi, Katiebug, welcome to AA. Very sorry to hear you are going through difficult time and will tell you that I can definitely sympathize with you. I, too fell victim to lots of bad advice from people who sold me all the stuff needed when couple of months ago I got my first little betta as a gift, and wanting to make the best home for him, went to pet store to get a tank and all for him. My mistake was going to the chain store (closest to my house) where the advice you get is not always in the best interest of the fish... For me things started getting better after random google search (during my frantic attempts to get some information online) I came across this forum, which in turn prompted me to find my LFS. Between the two and internet sources I'm getting tons of good info and can now see "the light in the end of the tunnel". Don't get discouraged by your initial trials. This is a beautiful hobby and soon you will be able to gain lots of enjoyment from pursuing it. Remember, there are no "dumb questions", it doesn't matter if if have a PhD, if you are new to aquatics.... you will not know the basics! and it is very much ok to ask. Most of the folks on this forum are very kind and will not bash you for making mistakes so no worries help is right around the corner. Wishing you best of luck with your fish and again welcome