Water quality issue

[Sandy95]

New member. Hope you all have some ideas. Switched my lone black moor (2 years old) to a new 36 gallon tank about 4 weeks ago. For the past 2 weeks, readings have ranged as follows: ammonia, between .25 and 3; nitrate, between 0 and 20; nitrite, almost always 3, with a few days between 1 and 3; pH, mostly 7.2, a few 6.8s; alkalinity, less than 40 to 40. Fish is quite happy and healthy. I've cut back to feeding him once daily and reduced the amount I feed, do daily water changes. Tank has 30-60 gallon filter and I have a long airstone strip in the tank with artificial decor. I am aiming for 0 ammonia and nitrite, but the numbers are remaining stubbornly high. Any help? Thanks so much! Sandy

 

[Cichlid Kid]

What % pwc do you do daily and what water conditioner do you use? Have you tested parameters on the new water to see what the levels are beforehand?

 

[Sandy95]

Do mostly 25% water changes, sometimes 50% if numbers are higher. Use AquaSafe to treat the new water, but not until after I put the new water in the tank.

 

[librarygirl]

The tank is still cycling. Test your tap water for nitrite, ammonia and nitrite to see where you're starting from. Up your water changes depending on the numbers. So if ammonia or/and nitrite are 1, a 50% water change will bring them down to .5 which is still borderline, another 50% change will bring them down to .25, etc (assuming your tap test 0 for ammonia and nitrite). Sounds like you're in the middle of the cycle in the nitrite phase. Nitrites are as toxic to fish as ammonia so you'll want to keep those levels as low as you can until the cycle completes.

Also either add the dechlorinator to the new water before you put it into the tank OR drain the tank and then add dechlorinator to the tank but add enough for the whole volume fo the tank, not just the water you are replacing, and then refill.

 

[Sandy95]

My tap water is 0 for nitrite nitrate and ammonia. I'll be more thorough with water changes and treat the new water before putting in the tank. Thanks for everyone's help.