Nitrites and nitrates off the charts. Help? Please!

[kades]

I took my water to the lps to have water checked "professionally" (I'm still new at everything) my nitrites and nitrates were off the charts. I had been doing pwc never more than 30% about every 3 days as instructed by someone. They told me not to touch the water to let it balance naturally. What do I do?! My fish seem fine except my blood parrot shes hiding non stop and if she does come out she swims to the to corner and then dashes around weird. Any advice I don't want to jump to do yet anothet pwc if its going to make things worse. Also the filter was given to me along with the tank. I bought a new filter sponge (? If thats what its called) before I cycled it and I took the filter to the store with me and the sponge she gave me didn't seem to fit exactly right and it looked like something else was maybe missing? Was there could this be the problem?

 

[blert]

PWCs. Lots of them.
LFSs usually give very bad advise. They want to keep you coming back to spend more money.
You need to get those nitrites down before it kills your fish. Do a 50% water change then let it circulate for a half an hour. Test your water. If ammonia or nitrites are at 0.25ppm or above do another 50-70% water change then let it circulate for a half an hour and test again. Repeat as needed until both ammonia and nitrites are below 0.25ppm. Do the same if your nitrates are above 20ppm. Your fish will thank you. Be sure to use a quality dechlorinator for your fresh water before you add it to the tank.

There is a sticky for fish in cycling that you may want to read.

Best of luck to you.

 

[Mumma.of.two]

PWCs. Lots of them.
LFSs usually give very bad advise. They want to keep you coming back to spend more money.
You need to get those nitrites down before it kills your fish. Do a 50% water change then let it circulate for a half an hour. Test your water. If ammonia or nitrites are at 0.25ppm or above do another 50-70% water change then let it circulate for a half an hour and test again. Repeat as needed until both ammonia and nitrites are below 0.25ppm. Do the same if your nitrates are above 20ppm. Your fish will thank you. Be sure to use a quality dechlorinator for your fresh water before you add it to the tank.

There is a sticky for fish in cycling that you may want to read.

Best of luck to you.

+1 MANY water changes are needed or you may loose your fish.
Here is the link.
http://www.aquariumadvice.com/artic...g-but-I-already-have-fish-What-now/Page2.html
Water changes WILL NOT hinder the cycle. They will keep your fish from suffering from nitrite and nitrate poisoning.

 

[BBradbury]

Water Chemistry

I took my water to the lps to have water checked "professionally" (I'm still new at everything) my nitrites and nitrates were off the charts. I had been doing pwc never more than 30% about every 3 days as instructed by someone. They told me not to touch the water to let it balance naturally. What do I do?! My fish seem fine except my blood parrot shes hiding non stop and if she does come out she swims to the to corner and then dashes around weird. Any advice I don't want to jump to do yet anothet pwc if its going to make things worse. Also the filter was given to me along with the tank. I bought a new filter sponge (? If thats what its called) before I cycled it and I took the filter to the store with me and the sponge she gave me didn't seem to fit exactly right and it looked like something else was maybe missing? Was there could this be the problem?

Hello kades...

IMO, small water changes are about as affective as none at all. If you're getting out the equipment to change the water, then make it worth your time and keep your water chemistry stable by removing and replacing at least 50 percent of the water weekly. I do 60 to 70 percent weekly and don't have to test the water, because I know the perameters are constant and there's no time for pollutants to build up before the next large water change.

Don't be afraid to perform large, weekly water changes. The more water you replace and the more often, the healthier your fish and your plants will be.

It would be helpful too, to get the specifics of your power filter. It appears your LFS person isn't very helpful.

B