High nitrite after successful 2ppm cycle

[Azure Lord]

Added 6 glofidh tetras, a betta, and 10 ghost shrimp. Now im having to do nearly two 30%wc daily.

What went wrong?


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[Fatboyfish]

Hey neighbor,

I personally am not familiar with your cycle style but I will say that's a big jump on start up.

If you aren't already only feed once a day as much as they can eat in 1 min to cut down on waste until you get those levels under control.

Why so many ghost shrimp? They may appear to be cleanup crew but they cause waste too and add to ammonia.

 

[Azure Lord]

I fishles cycledc untill i could process 2ppm anmonia to nitrate in 24 hours or less.

I figured 10 was a good round number. Ill reduce feedings(was doing 3 small a day)

Id there a minimum flake size?

Im at the bottom of my fish flake pouch and its more like dust

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[Fatboyfish]

I'm no flake expert but I personally try and add flakes that are around the size of the fishes mouth. Maybe feeding flake dust is causing a lot to get wasted. Remember as much as they can eat in 1 minute. They won't die from starvation I assure you. Fish are opportunists and will sucker you into feeding them 24 hrs a day if you let them.

I use this guide to feed my reef tank and SW fish ain't cheap.

 

[Azure Lord]

Ive seen that

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[ppo8820]

Well the processing of ammonia is only 1 part of the cycle. After your ammonia gets converted in 24 hours, then you can expect a nitrIte spike with the new bacteria, and then you wait a while until those levels drop. It seems you skipped that step. The NitrIte drop takes longer imo (it is for me). Once you get 0 ammonia and 0 nitrItes in 24 hours, then you are cycled. You added the fish at the 2nd stage of the cycle and not when it was finished, which is why you are having the issues you are now.

Essentially you are now fish in cycling, so keep up on those water changes and wait for the nitrite bacteria to take over and complete the cycle.

 

[Fatboyfish]

Well the processing of ammonia is only 1 part of the cycle. After your ammonia gets converted in 24 hours, then you can expect a nitrIte spike with the new bacteria, and then you wait a while until those levels drop. It seems you skipped that step. The NitrIte drop takes longer imo (it is for me). Once you get 0 ammonia and 0 nitrItes in 24 hours, then you are cycled. You added the fish at the 2nd stage of the cycle and not when it was finished, which is why you are having the issues you are now.

Essentially you are now fish in cycling, so keep up on those water changes and wait for the nitrite bacteria to take over and complete the cycle.

azur said he/she is getting nitrates - azur is having a mini cycle from the amount of fish added at once

 

[ppo8820]

Nitrites in the title. Nitrates are a normal part of ammonia and waste conversion, but nitrites are a bit different. There's a bacteria for each one so just because your ammonia is being converted nicely doesn't mean the nitrites will drop so quickly.


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[Azure Lord]

Its called i jumped the gun with such a heavy stock. Ive been reading and tgats what ive done

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[Azure Lord]

I guess ill be doing pwc daily until my nitrospira can handle all the nitrite

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[Azure Lord]

Well last night i did 3 20%wc and got nitrite down to just over 0ppm. Ill check tonight and see what needs to be done.

Ive reduced to one feeding a day, hope they dont starve cuz not all of my fish are "jumping" at the food.



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[ppo8820]

I'm having dreaded nitrite issues.


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[Azure Lord]

I reduced feedings and its been 0ppm all day

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[Azure Lord]

And were back to being good again

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