I just did about a 40% water change (like I do every week) and then tested the water. The nitrites tested at 10 - the highest level on the test kit and in what is listed as 'danger' zone. My nitrates are also twice as high as normal at 40 instead of 20. I do not understand why, especially after never having a problem, this is happening - and right after a water change as well. I moved a big rock in there and vacuumed under it, so a lot of debris was released. It is an 18 gallon with just 1 rosy barb, 2 danios, and 2 corys. I usually add to my water (and did this time too) Ammo-Lock and Biozyme bacteria. I am afraid all my fish are going to die very soon - please advise.
NITRITE EMERGENCY
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grimlock3000
Aquarium Advice Addict
First up, stop using Ammo-Lock. Ammo-Lock can slow down the development of your biological filter that is needed to bring down the ammo and nitrites. Start doing water changes DAILY and cut back on your feeding to reduce to ammount of potential waste in the tank.
How long has the tank been setup?
How long has the tank been setup?
Essayons89
Aquarium Advice Activist
Ditto the daily water changes. Gravel vacs when doing a water change will also help to lower nitrite and nitrate levels. The addition of 1 tsp aquarium salt per 20 gallons will help to counteract nitrite toxicity.
Bryan
Bryan
TankGirl
Aquarium Advice Addict
Excellent advice above - nothing to add, except that you could keep the water level a bit lower to increase splashing and oxygenation until this is over.
Anything at all different about this time, other than moving the decorations? Aggressive filter cleanings or new fish?
I have definitely done this kind of thing when being a little too vigorous with my gravel vacs in a tank that had a wee bit too much debris in the first place. Cutting back on feedings - even stopping for 5-7 days - and vaccing sections of the tank with every water change to get caught up on the vacuuming could be the ticket here.
Anything at all different about this time, other than moving the decorations? Aggressive filter cleanings or new fish?
I have definitely done this kind of thing when being a little too vigorous with my gravel vacs in a tank that had a wee bit too much debris in the first place. Cutting back on feedings - even stopping for 5-7 days - and vaccing sections of the tank with every water change to get caught up on the vacuuming could be the ticket here.
I'm not really sure what you mean, grimlock3000, about the ammo-lock and bio-filter. I have a Whisper Power Filter 30 - this is not a bio-filter correct? Please excuse my confusion but I'm new to the hobby and dont quite get this. The LFS told me to use it because I have extremely chlorinated tap water. I cant just put the tap water in the tank without treating it for that, can I?
The tank has been setup since July 18. It houses 1 rosy barb, 2 danios, and 2 cory catfish. The catfish were added 2 weeks ago. And there was nothing different about this time other than me moving the rock to clean under/around it, and we took out the part of the filter that hangs in the water to clean all the dark algae that had formed in it. I did not feed this morning.
I tested the water this morning and all the readings were the same as last night. Horrible!
The tank has been setup since July 18. It houses 1 rosy barb, 2 danios, and 2 cory catfish. The catfish were added 2 weeks ago. And there was nothing different about this time other than me moving the rock to clean under/around it, and we took out the part of the filter that hangs in the water to clean all the dark algae that had formed in it. I did not feed this morning.
I tested the water this morning and all the readings were the same as last night. Horrible!
grimlock3000
Aquarium Advice Addict
You want to use water conditioner, just NOT Ammo Lock. You just want something that takes care of the chlorine and chloramine. The "bio filter" of a tank is bacteria that lives all over the tank. On the plants, in the rocks, in the filter... The bio filter does two primary things, it eats ammonia (from fish waste) and turns it into nitrIte, and also eats nitrIte and turns it into nitrAte (which is relatively safe for fish). Look at it this way, Ammo Lock "eats" the ammonia in the tank. Since there is less ammonia in the tank, or possibly flucuating ammonia, the bio filter has trouble getting established.
I just thought of something. 2 weeks ago on August 15th I changed my filter cartrige for the first time. I have a Whisper Power Filter 30. It says to change the cartridge 1x every 4 weeks. I did a water change 1 week later and tested the water - it was fine. 2 all of a sudden 2 weeks after the cartridge change my nitrites go sky high and are not coming down. Could this be what caused such a severe spike? Wouldnt I have noticed higher levels last week when I did the water change?
grimlock3000
Aquarium Advice Addict
A lot of stuff could have caused the spike. For what its worth, all new tanks spike at one time or another. Some rules of thumb to help:
-Fish do not need to eat much.
-Do not change filter cartridges, just rinse them in old tank water so they keep the bacteria.
-Have lots of patience at first and keep up those daily water changes as needed. Once you get an established tank, it becomes much easier
-Fish do not need to eat much.
-Do not change filter cartridges, just rinse them in old tank water so they keep the bacteria.
-Have lots of patience at first and keep up those daily water changes as needed. Once you get an established tank, it becomes much easier
Essayons89
Aquarium Advice Activist
Even though the nitrifying bacteria colonizes every surface of the tank but a good portion of the biofiltration takes place in the filter. Replacing the cartridges with new ones can cause a spike as the bacteria works to build back up to handle the fish load.
Personally, I would ditch the filter cartridges and fill the filter up with Aquaclear sponges or with filter floss. Either one will give you more area for the bacteria to colonize and they are much easier to "clean" IMO. I use AC sponges on both my Penguin 330 and Emperor 400, each of these filters are supposed to use cartridges. I've been very happy with the results. I've been using some of the same sponges going on four years now.
If you would happen to replace the filter cartridges with sponges or floss, add them to filter or place them in the tank for a couple of weeks so that the bacteria can establish itself on them.
Bryan
Personally, I would ditch the filter cartridges and fill the filter up with Aquaclear sponges or with filter floss. Either one will give you more area for the bacteria to colonize and they are much easier to "clean" IMO. I use AC sponges on both my Penguin 330 and Emperor 400, each of these filters are supposed to use cartridges. I've been very happy with the results. I've been using some of the same sponges going on four years now.
If you would happen to replace the filter cartridges with sponges or floss, add them to filter or place them in the tank for a couple of weeks so that the bacteria can establish itself on them.
Bryan
the big thing is to test the water before water changes not right after. During the water change you stir up all the waste and bacteria up from the bottom of the tank and that will give you false readings. Your readings will also fluctuate according to the time of day, lenght of time the lights have been on/off ect. It is best to test the same time every time so you get familiar with the specifics of your tank and test kits.
This is getting very frusterating. I went out last night and bought a liquid test kit, NovAqua, and Amquel+. I tested the water before the change, and the results were:
Ammonia: .50 ppm
Nitrate: 5.0 ppm
Nitrite: 2.0 ppm
pH: 7.6
I did about a 45% water change and added the treatments correctly. I let is settle over night. This morning, I tested again, and my results were....EXACTLY the same. How on earth is this possible? I'm trying to get my levels down but it seems the treatments did nothing. What is going on?
Ammonia: .50 ppm
Nitrate: 5.0 ppm
Nitrite: 2.0 ppm
pH: 7.6
I did about a 45% water change and added the treatments correctly. I let is settle over night. This morning, I tested again, and my results were....EXACTLY the same. How on earth is this possible? I'm trying to get my levels down but it seems the treatments did nothing. What is going on?
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