nitrite and nitrates high with fish!!

[sstanle4]

See but the thing is, we checked the RO water for nitrite and it was 0.

[cmor1701d]

That's a good sign. How old is your test kit? Does it have an expiration date?
It is a liquid kit and not a dispstick, correct?

I think you are still cycling the tank and it will take a while for the beneficial bacteria colony to grow to the size needed for the current bioload. PWC's will help.

[sstanle4]

It is brand new and we use the API water test kit. I have been doing PWC and it is not doing anything at all.

[cmor1701d]

Are you testing your change water before making the change?
Any nitrite showing there?
How large a change are you making each time?

[sstanle4]

There are no nitrites showing in the change water. And right now, we are doing anywhere from 2-4 gallons a day. Just trying to bring the levels down.

[jgraz]

You are definatly still cycling. Probably should not have added the damsel. How often are you feeding the damsel. Any chance you can get it out and back to the LFS so you can let the tank cycle properly. Each time you feed the waste is getting broken down to ammonia then NO2. Since there is not enough bacteria to completey consume the Nitrites yet your just adding to the total. Thats whay it seems like its going up even with water changes. You would be better served bringing back the damsel and hermits and stop water changes until cycly is done.

[sstanle4]

I think what happend is that we over fead him and it was to much of a bioload. We were feeding him like 2 times a day but now once every other day

[cmor1701d]

I feed my fish on Wednesday and Saturday. My oldest fish have been in the tank for 8 years. All are healthy and active.

[sstanle4]

We have gotten our nitrites down to nothing! Thanks to startsmart! We also just seen that our base rock is starting to turn live! So thanks for everyones input. Thanks and yall will hear from us again when we have another problem thanks again everyone

[cmor1701d]

Originally Posted by sstanle4

We have gotten our nitrites down to nothing! Thanks to startsmart!

Really? PWC's and time for the bacteria population to build had nothing to do with it? It was solely due to a product with unknown ingredients and no scientific proof. The claims are rather outrageous. "Just one dose will instantly populate an aquarium with all the live, active nitrifying bacteria needed to prevent ammonia and nitrite toxicity."

Bacteria colonies take time to grow to handle increased bio-loads. Bacteria need oxygen and food to survive. How do they survive in a bottle for over a year?
I need to see real scientific proof of those claims or test it myself. It seems too good to be true, so maybe I'll set up my QT tank, add some uncured LR and see what happens. I'll report my findings if I complete this test.

[sstanle4]

Ok i dont know if it works really good in small tanks BUT we step up a 30 gallon and put that startsmart (double doesed it) and then put 4ppm and let it go. It took 1.5 weeks to cycle. We have had 2 damanls in there for a little bit more than a month. We also have a feeder on them and it feeds to way to much 2 times a day and we have NEVER had a problem with ANYTHING! THIS STUFF WORKS!! just try it. Its 20 dollars. Just set it up put it in there (we have never single doese)

[sstanle4]

Also, PWC's were not helping our nitrite levels. At all. We tried for 5 days with no results. Then added the start smart and it went down over night. That's why we believe it works.

[jgraz]

Originally Posted by sstanle4

We also just seen that our base rock is starting to turn live!

What did you see to make you think its starting to turn live. the "live" in live rock refers pretty much to the bacteria colonies. Did you actually see them. Can you get a pic.

[cmor1701d]

That's pretty much what happens when the bacteria population reaches critical mass. The levels drop overnight. So was it 5 days of waiting or SmartStart or the combination?

BTW, I consider 30 gallons to be a small tank

[sstanle4]

It might have been both idk. All I know is we did pwc and the nitrites stayed the same but as soon as we put that startsmart in there it went from about 2 or 3ppm to 0.