Kilgore
Aquarium Advice Activist
Hello,
I currently have a fairly overstocked tank which I plan to upgrade soon, but it may be up to a month before I can move everyone to the bigger tank. I am concerned because I have been getting nitrite readings for about 1 1/2 weeks now and can't seem to get rid of them. The tank had completed its cycle thanks to BioSpira prior to adding the new fish, so this is likely a second "mini-cycle."
This a heavily planted 25 gallon tank with an Eheim Ecco filter that is currently housing 33 1 - 2" fish (tetras, cories, otos, and hatchets). None are full-grown except for otos. I also have another tank going but it is being medicated for a parasitic infestation thanks to guppies from LFS and so none can be moved in there yet.
In the meantime, I have been doing water changes of about 15-20% every few days. I have been monitoring water and saw no ammonia spike, probably thanks to plants, but the nitrites, although they are decreasing, are definitely still present.
Last week, nitrite readings were 0.5 ppm (according to Jungle Quick Dip Test Strips). Today, the amount is no longer registering on the strips which means they have fallen below 0.5, but according to my Seachem test kit they are still about 0.2 -0.40 (hard to tell exactly).
Now to my question (finally, you say): exactly how long term are the long-term negative effects of nitrites, assuming fish are in good health? If it takes another week before nitrites go away, will that be too long? What else can I do? I have been using Amquel + but it is a dangerous game considering that I have very low KH, and don't want to cause a pH crash. Furthermore, for all I know Amquel + could prolong the cycle - it says it leaves the ammonia available for bacteria but doesn't mention how it affects the nitrite cycling.
Any words of advice, encouragement, or other help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!
I currently have a fairly overstocked tank which I plan to upgrade soon, but it may be up to a month before I can move everyone to the bigger tank. I am concerned because I have been getting nitrite readings for about 1 1/2 weeks now and can't seem to get rid of them. The tank had completed its cycle thanks to BioSpira prior to adding the new fish, so this is likely a second "mini-cycle."
This a heavily planted 25 gallon tank with an Eheim Ecco filter that is currently housing 33 1 - 2" fish (tetras, cories, otos, and hatchets). None are full-grown except for otos. I also have another tank going but it is being medicated for a parasitic infestation thanks to guppies from LFS and so none can be moved in there yet.
In the meantime, I have been doing water changes of about 15-20% every few days. I have been monitoring water and saw no ammonia spike, probably thanks to plants, but the nitrites, although they are decreasing, are definitely still present.
Last week, nitrite readings were 0.5 ppm (according to Jungle Quick Dip Test Strips). Today, the amount is no longer registering on the strips which means they have fallen below 0.5, but according to my Seachem test kit they are still about 0.2 -0.40 (hard to tell exactly).
Now to my question (finally, you say): exactly how long term are the long-term negative effects of nitrites, assuming fish are in good health? If it takes another week before nitrites go away, will that be too long? What else can I do? I have been using Amquel + but it is a dangerous game considering that I have very low KH, and don't want to cause a pH crash. Furthermore, for all I know Amquel + could prolong the cycle - it says it leaves the ammonia available for bacteria but doesn't mention how it affects the nitrite cycling.
Any words of advice, encouragement, or other help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!