Help, High Nitrite and Fish

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Amandap79

Aquarium Advice Apprentice
Joined
Sep 5, 2011
Messages
18
Really hoping you can help, I'm cycling with fish (very worrying, wish I'd known about fishless). I have been up and running 3 weeks, with ammo at 0 but it's the nitrites I'm stressing about. I have been doing pwc daily, twice daily infact today (20 percent each time, so 40 percent today).

As it currently stands I have had rising nitrites since 2nd September (8 days) and before I do the water changes very, very slight nitrates (I think, well it's dark yellow on the api kit). The nitrites have been around 2 on average from 5th September. There are three platys and six neons in the tank, all are feeding well and seem healthy.

My questions are,
1. Am I stressing out the fish by changing the water twice a day, should I opt to doing one big one tomorrow (I.e. 50 percent) and then 20 percent every other day.
2. Will I be slowing the cycle down by doing this
3. When do you think the nitrites will drop and I see more nitrates
Any other general advice would be fab.

Thanks so much, I really appreciate your help.

Amanda.
 
Amandap79 said:
Really hoping you can help, I'm cycling with fish (very worrying, wish I'd known about fishless). I have been up and running 3 weeks, with ammo at 0 but it's the nitrites I'm stressing about. I have been doing pwc daily, twice daily infact today (20 percent each time, so 40 percent today).

As it currently stands I have had rising nitrites since 2nd September (8 days) and before I do the water changes very, very slight nitrates (I think, well it's dark yellow on the api kit). The nitrites have been around 2 on average from 5th September. There are three platys and six neons in the tank, all are feeding well and seem healthy.

My questions are,
1. Am I stressing out the fish by changing the water twice a day, should I opt to doing one big one tomorrow (I.e. 50 percent) and then 20 percent every other day.
2. Will I be slowing the cycle down by doing this
3. When do you think the nitrites will drop and I see more nitrates
Any other general advice would be fab.

Thanks so much, I really appreciate your help.

Amanda.

Welcome to the site :)

There is no such thing as too many water changes when cycling with fish. Just use fresh, dechlorinated, temperature matched water and theres absolutely no problem. They'll much prefer that to swimming in toxins. I suggest doing whatever it takes to get your toxins at or below .25 ASAP.

Changing water will not slow down your cycle. There is virtually no beneficial bacteria in the water column, it's in the filter so there's really no effect from water changes.

Some tools which can be a big help is a bottle of Seachem Prime water conditioner. It temporarily neutralizes ammonia and nitrIte, while still leaving it available to the bacteria, and will buy your fish some time between water changes. Aquarium salt can also assist during the nitrIte spike phase by helping prevent no2 poisoning.

Here's a great article to check out...make sure you read over it and follow it exactly. Good luck!
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html
 
Thanks for your help. I have just done today a 50 per cent water change and the nitrites are less, but still at 2! All of the nitrates (what little i had) have now disappeared too. Should I do another water change today or wait until tomorrow. :(
 
Thanks for your help. I have just done today a 50 per cent water change and the nitrites are less, but still at 2! All of the nitrates (what little i had) have now disappeared too. Should I do another water change today or wait until tomorrow. :(

Today. Now if possible. Nitrites at 2 are protentially harmful to the fish. Anytime nitrites and/or ammonia are over.25, do a water change. At 2, you'll have to do a larger one than 50% (which will only get them down to 1). I'd drain as much water as you can, leaving enough for the fish to swim at the bottom, and then refill (don't forget dechlorinator and to match the water temperature). Wait a half hour and retest, if nitrites are still high, do it again. :) Nitrates will be low after you do the water change, that's normal; they'll rise again.
 
Ok, I've just done another water change. Fifty percent. That's a whole new tank of fresh water then. I'll do my readings in an hour or so. If I see high nitrite, I'm going to the pub! I'm actually a slave to my fish tank . . Never, ever will I do fish in cycle again, lol

Oh I've just seen I should have done more . .ok, if readings are high, I'll do another. Not 50 percent again, surely? I have very wet feet.
 
Amandap79 said:
If I see high nitrite, I'm going to the pub!

Sounds like a good idea...as long as you do another water change to get them below .25 BEFORE you go grab some drinks :)

Don't be afraid to change too much water. The fish don't mind. Clean water is their favorite thing...mine actually enjoy it and play around in the water while it's being taken out and added back in. In fact, my biggest concern is sucking them up with the gravel vac because they don't get out of the way. Also, it won't hurt or slow down your cycle at all.
 
Ok, great news, my stats are,
Amm, 0
Nit, 0.25
Nitrate, 0

I am still assuming that I'm waiting for the nitrates to establish and if left nitrites will rise so,

In your opinion, what percentage water change should I do each day to keep the nitrites in check @ 0.25.

Thanks,
 
Amandap79 said:
In your opinion, what percentage water change should I do each day to keep the nitrites in check @ 0.25.

Let your test kit decide for you. Don't base it off the clock or people's recommendations. Test often, and let your results dictate how much and how often to do water changes to keep the levels down.
 
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