Nitrates and nitrites are high! Help ASAP

[nirbhao]

Well I just bought a 16.90 FL oz of tetra water conditioner, so u less you're refunding me my money I'm using it until it's gone lol. Then I will get prime. And same goes for the liquid test kit. Those are expensive. I have to make due with what I have for now because I'm broke.

Strips are far more expensive per test than the master test kit, and the test kit is less expensive than buying the tests individually. I bought tests individually because I didn't want to spend all that money up front. Dumb.

So you can continue to use your okay enough conditioner and hope it doesn't hinder the cycle and recovery, or you can set it aside, consider the cost the price of learning this particular lesson, and get a conditioner that is actually going to help you and your fish.

Or compare that cost to the cost of replacing the fish that will die.

 

[54seaweed]

we have several good article's on cycling to give you a better understanding of what you are presently going through .

Search for "cycling a freshwater tank" - Aquarium Advice

always keep this in mind as a wise old man has told me rushing always brings many problems that could have been avoided . shortcuts are nothing more than a botched up band-aid

 

[KFav93]

Strips are far more expensive per test than the master test kit, and the test kit is less expensive than buying the tests individually. I bought tests individually because I didn't want to spend all that money up front. Dumb.

So you can continue to use your okay enough conditioner and hope it doesn't hinder the cycle and recovery, or you can set it aside, consider the cost the price of learning this particular lesson, and get a conditioner that is actually going to help you and your fish.

Or compare that cost to the cost of replacing the fish that will die.

Like I said, I'm broke and I already invested the money in that. So it'll have to do for now.

 

[nirbhao]

Like I said, I'm broke and I already invested the money in that. So it'll have to do for now.

The answer to the question, "How do I prevent further fish loss?" is to use the right tools.

No one can magically conjure up additional funds, and we understand that, but your fish rely entirely on you to make their lives livable.

 

[KFav93]

The answer to the question, "How do I prevent further fish loss?" is to use the right tools.

No one can magically conjure up additional funds, and we understand that, but your fish rely entirely on you to make their lives livable.

I understand. But I'm not using the wrong tools. Obviously these products work or they wouldn't be on the shelves for sale. I use them correctly. They have done me well thus far. Now that my tank decided to cycle again is not my fault and I will work with what I have to fix it. Lessened learned. Once these products are finished I will buy the "correct products."

 

[nirbhao]

Obviously these products work or they wouldn't be on the shelves for sale.

Please don't use this logic for any part of your life. There are plenty of products available for sale in all areas of any given store that don't work or aren't safe.

In the meantime, do the best that you can with what you have.

 

[KFav93]

Please don't use this logic for any part of your life. There are plenty of products available for sale in all areas of any given store that don't work or aren't safe.

In the meantime, do the best that you can with what you have.

I understand. Please stop belittling me and treating me like I'm unintelligent. I am willing to listen to what people have for advice, but there's no need to attack me. Like I said. Lessoned learned. I will buy better quality products next time but as of right now I have water conditioner that does its job and conditioners the water.

 

[nirbhao]

I don't think you're unintelligent, and I am sorry that you feel belittled and attacked.

I think sometimes it's easy to get an answer that you don't like and keep looking, pursuing one that is more what you're hoping for.

I also think that it's easy to believe that pet stores, where there are all these pictures of happy animals, are somehow more ethical than other stores. Nobody thinks that those weight loss and hair regrowth miracle cures actually work, because if they did, we would all be svelte with full heads of hair. That skepticism doesn't translate for a lot of people. It certainly isn't intuitive for me.

It's not always outrageous claims, either. Sometimes it's just not as effective as it could be. Plenty of that in the laundry aisles, for example.

Pet supplies are the same. They are manufactured by a company whose success depends on people buying these products. Some of them claim to be miracle cures. Others claim to be more effective than they actually are.

Places like this are useful because, collectively, we've tried them all. People fall all over themselves for Prime because they've seen how well it works.

So, again, do the best you can with what you have. That's all you *can* do.

 

[KFav93]

I don't think you're unintelligent, and I am sorry that you feel belittled and attacked.

I think sometimes it's easy to get an answer that you don't like and keep looking, pursuing one that is more what you're hoping for.

I also think that it's easy to believe that pet stores, where there are all these pictures of happy animals, are somehow more ethical than other stores. Nobody thinks that those weight loss and hair regrowth miracle cures actually work, because if they did, we would all be svelte with full heads of hair. That skepticism doesn't translate for a lot of people. It certainly isn't intuitive for me.

It's not always outrageous claims, either. Sometimes it's just not as effective as it could be. Plenty of that in the laundry aisles, for example.

Pet supplies are the same. They are manufactured by a company whose success depends on people buying these products. Some of them claim to be miracle cures. Others claim to be more effective than they actually are.

Places like this are useful because, collectively, we've tried them all. People fall all over themselves for Prime because they've seen how well it works.

So, again, do the best you can with what you have. That's all you *can* do.

Well exactly. I haven't heard anything bad about tetra water conditioner. And it gets what I need done. I didn't know prime was a better choice because I thought nothing was wrong with tetra. That's why I purchased a big bottle. I will switch to prime after this bottle is out definitely, but I don't think there is anything wrong with what I'm using as of right now. Same goes for the test strips. I will take people's advice and get the liquid test kit and prime when I run out of everything I have. I'm not trying to throw away money, so I'm going to use them. I just had a toxin spike in my tank and that's reallu all I'm concerned about right now, not the water conditioner.

 

[Potluck]

Prime locks ammonia nitrite and Nitrate and removes metals from the source water, it lasts quite a while cause you don't need a lot, it's 1ml per 10 gallons of water you put back into the tank. You have a 20 gallon so if you did 50% pwc it would be 1 ml, you can get needle less syringes at the pharmacy for like a dollar for more accurate measuring, or its 2 drops per gal.

 

[Potluck]

You say you're not going to throw away money but without the right stuff to do water changes and test water with you're throwing money away because it can lead to deaths of the fish, not trying to sound mean but it's the truth, what kinds fish do you have

 

[KFav93]

Prime locks ammonia nitrite and Nitrate and removes metals from the source water, it lasts quite a while cause you don't need a lot, it's 1ml per 10 gallons of water you put back into the tank. You have a 20 gallon so if you did 50% pwc it would be 1 ml, you can get needle less syringes at the pharmacy for like a dollar for more accurate measuring, or its 2 drops per gal.

Yeah, I'm definitely going to get that next

 

[nirbhao]

And it gets what I need done.

Does it, though?

I just had a toxin spike in my tank and that's reallu all I'm concerned about right now, not the water conditioner.

Water conditioner is an important element in dealing with toxin spikes.

 

[KFav93]

Does it, though?



Water conditioner is an important element in dealing with toxin spikes.

Is this the right one?

 

[nirbhao]

View attachment 290964
Is this the right one?

Yes, it is.

 

[Potluck]

Bud im not trying to make you feel belittled or anything hell I'm still learning we were all in your shoes once, prime comes in 2 different size bottles and really isn't expensive as petco has a card thingy to give you discounts, I can understand the test kit right now they are expensive well 30.00, and I understand you might not be able to afford that right now which is okay, but please if you have a lfs close to you that does "liquid tests" go to them petco and petsmart I believe only use strips, the store is going to tell you anything you want to hear to get you to buy things, you mentioned she did the fish as yes she does But what I'm trying to tell you is the fish are over crowded in the tanks, shipped in with God knows what then sold to customers , my lfs will not sell a fish until 2 weeks of quarantine, no chain store does that, this hobby can get very expensive but if you look on Amazon you can find the products suggested for way cheaper than the store

 

[Potluck]

Yes but you have a 20 gallon you don't need that big of a bottle

 

[KFav93]

Bud im not trying to make you feel belittled or anything hell I'm still learning we were all in your shoes once, prime comes in 2 different size bottles and really isn't expensive as petco has a card thingy to give you discounts, I can understand the test kit right now they are expensive well 30.00, and I understand you might not be able to afford that right now which is okay, but please if you have a lfs close to you that does "liquid tests" go to them petco and petsmart I believe only use strips, the store is going to tell you anything you want to hear to get you to buy things, you mentioned she did the fish as yes she does But what I'm trying to tell you is the fish are over crowded in the tanks, shipped in with God knows what then sold to customers , my lfs will not sell a fish until 2 weeks of quarantine, no chain store does that, this hobby can get very expensive but if you look on Amazon you can find the products suggested for way cheaper than the store

You weren't making me feel belittled. But yeah I understand. The only LFS that I know of is pretty far and has ridiculous hours that clash with my work schedule, so petco is really all I have around here. And yeah I'm going to invest in the liquid test kit when I have the money to do so.

 

[KFav93]

Alright. Well I just ordered a small bottle of prime. The liquid test kits are going to have to wait because I'm broke. But now I have a giant bottle of tetra water conditioner and ammolock. What am I supposed to do with those now?

 

[Potluck]

Ammo lock is still useful while you cycle the tank, the tetra stuff I would just chalk it up as a loss believe me man I have so much wrapped up into my small 55gal, but it's worth it. im actually getting ready to start a 150 cause well I enjoy them so much, it will take me a long time to set up the 150 cause I cannot afford everything at once either.