Nitrite Question!!!

[Jennkp]

Ok. I have a 30 gallon tank with 2 zebra danios. Ive been fish in cycling & I think it's almost complete or is complete, it's been 5 weeks. I changed 18 of the 30 gallons yesterday. Tested parameters & they are as follows after 24 hours: ammonia 0 nitrite 5ppm nitrate 10-20ppm ph 7.6 & high range ph 8.2.

Pictures are in order as listed... Please excuse the cat!

I've read so many different things about nitrite spikes, is this a nitrite spike? Or did I pass that already? Is my tank cycled?

 

[FishingMouse]

Your tank will be cycled when both nitrites and ammo are zero. Do several pwc to get that nitrite down and to try and get your ph down too or your cycle might stall. Do 30-50%, test in an hour or two, then do more as necessary to get the toxins down for your fish.....

 

[librarygirl]

0 ammonia is good, the high nitrites not so much. You're in the nitrite phase and yes it's the nitrite spike. Nitrites are as toxic to fish as ammonia and your levels are pretty high; I'd do a few 50% water changes with dechlorinator to try to get them as low as you can (<.5). The tank will be cycled when ammonia and nitrite can stay at 0 on their own.

 

[Jennkp]

Thanks! We'll see how it goes!

 

[Hholly]

Your tank will be cycled when both nitrites and ammo are zero. Do several pwc to get that nitrite down and to try and get your ph down too or your cycle might stall. Do 30-50%, test in an hour or two, then do more as necessary to get the toxins down for your fish.....

Sorry I have to respectfully disagree about lowering your pH. Your pH is fine but if it drops it can crash the tank. When it gets in 6.5 or lower range the beneficial bacteria quit working.

 

[Jennkp]

The ph has remained the same since about day 4 or 5. I know that messing with it will cause it to crash & I always thought that stability was more important.

 

[thursyanna]

I have a 55 gal and just tested my levels tonight. I have almost the same except for a higher PH. My PH is 8.2, Ammonia is 0, Nitrites are 5 and Nitrates are 10. I have a few live plants and 8 danios, 2 eartheaters, 1 small rafael catfish, and just added a pearl gourami, 2 giant gouramis, and a small green severum. Should I do a water change tonight??

 

[Jennkp]

I did another 18 gallons & my nitrite was the same. But everything else stayed the same as well. I had to buy some more dechlorinator today so I bought prime this time & just put some in there. I'm hoping that will help along with daily water changes so I switch the gravel to sand finally & then add more fish. Lfs is getting a new shipment tomorrow?. Try a water change & see what happens is my advice.

 

[Jennkp]

So I can*

 

[thursyanna]

Yeah, that's what I think I'm fixing to do. I'll do a 30% water change tonight and add my Prime in there and see what happens. Hopefully everyone stays alive. So far, they haven't seemed to notice there's a problem.

 

[Hholly]

Your nitrites are probably well over 5. The test only goes to 5. You should keep doing water changes until the nitrite is at least 1ppm as that is the maximum that Prime can detoxify.

 

[thursyanna]

I guess I'd better get started then. I hope I can get them down. Thanks!

 

[Jennkp]

That's my plan for now. I'm going to give it an hour & test again & get in as many pwc as I can tonight & then work on it some more tomorrow. I'm not 100% sure it was 5ppm. It looks much darker in the photos than in person as they all did plus 5ppm has a fuchsia tint on the card & it's not that color.

 

[Hholly]

Good luck!

 

[Jennkp]

Ok so, with all the water changes the nitrites weren't budging. Do last night I finally decided to switch my gravel to sand while I had time. This took about 3 hours all together. I primed the water & let the filter run all night with panty hose over the intake paddle so it wouldn't suck up all the floating sand while it was settling. Well I tested parameters this morning & I have nothing!!! No ammonia, no nitrite, no nitrate.!! My high range ph was the only thing that changed. I haven't put the fish back in yet, but I did leave some old water in the tank with the new.

Did I kill the bb while switching the gravel? Or is it bc there are no fish in the tank? HELP!!

 

[Jennkp]

Sorry here are this mornings readings.

 

[Hholly]

Well the bb live in the substrate as well as the filter. Not sure how big an effect that is having. But with all new water and no ammonia source(fish) the bb that are still there will starve. So put the fish back in. And keep testing.

 

[Jennkp]

Ok great! Putting them in now.

 

[Jennkp]

Put them in & went ahead & fed them. Will retest in an hour. I really hope I didn't kill the cycle!!

 

[Jennkp]

Update. Didn't kill the bb after all! This is 4 days after switching to sand & adding fish & getting through the nitrite spike! Has been 48 hours since last water change which was about 50-70 %! I think it's safe to say I'm cycled!!