Half way through?

[eco23]

The nitrAte dropping must have been a testing error. It's impossible to lose that much nitrAte in that time frame. The only way nitrAte is removed from a tank is by water changes, plants will consume a small amount and anaerobic bacteria will convert a tiny amount into nitrogen gas. But nothing would have done it that fast unless there was a water change in between tests.

Make sure you are shaking the #2 solution for a full 30 seconds, shake the entire solution for a full minute, wait 5 minutes and record your results then.

You should also do some looking around for another fish store if possible. Hopefully you have a local privately owned lfs somewhere in your town. If you don't have a quarantine tank...I'd be very afraid to buy my fish at Petsmart. They have a notorious history of selling sick and infected fish. There are also a lot of people on this site who breed and sell fish who you can order from. I get all of my fish through the mail.

 

[JimmyA]

Yes, I have about 4 local fish stores I can go to; don't know anything about any of them.

Yes, prob. a testing error, needed to wait longer.

Going down to 6 drops tonight. Day 30 on Friday.

 

[JimmyA]

Here are my colors today, Wednesday, I think about day 28, before adding ammonia. Six drops tonight.

 

[JimmyA]

Hoping I can get fish this weekend, but I have said that before! LOL

 

[Kawaipoon]

I can see your nitrItes are still quite high, are you still doing daily water changes?

 

[eco23]

Patience my friend, patience. It'll all be worth it in the end

 

[JimmyA]

Eco told me I didn't need to do any more water changes.

 

[Kawaipoon]

I see. Keep us updated.

 

[JimmyA]

Thank you. I will let you know.

 

[JimmyA]

I did a 25% water change tonight for the heck if it! I will proceed tomorrow evening with 6 drops of ammonia.

 

[JimmyA]

Put my 6 drops of ammonia in earlier today. I don't seem to be making much progress. Here are my colors attached:

 

[JimmyA]

Well things are the same this morning, day 30. BTW, I put on another HOB filter, seems like almost too much water movement, but fish aren't in there anyway. That way if someday I move up to 55 gallons or so, I'll have some material.

Went back to adding 12 drops of ammonia a day as I am processing all of that ammonia overnight. Nitrites do come down some overnight to a readable level but not to 0 yet. Nitrates are about 20-40 ppm.

 

[eco23]

Well things are the same this morning, day 30. BTW, I put on another HOB filter, seems like almost too much water movement, but fish aren't in there anyway. That way if someday I move up to 55 gallons or so, I'll have some material.

Went back to adding 12 drops of ammonia a day as I am processing all of that ammonia overnight. Nitrites do come down some overnight to a readable level but not to 0 yet. Nitrates are about 20-40 ppm.

Hang, on...the nitrItes dropped overnight? That's what we've been waiting for. Only a day or two now

 

[JimmyA]

They do drop some (nitrites), like from 5 ppm to 3 ppm overnight, that happens after I dose up the ammonia. However, when I redose ammonia the next day, they go back up and gradually decline to about 3 ppm by the next morning. I am hoping that they eventually go to 0. You would think that with my seeded sponge, this whole process would go faster.

 

[eco23]

When did the nitrIte first start dropping? I didn't know they had been until just now.

 

[JimmyA]

On day 17, I believe, nitrite went from 5 to 1 after I dosed ammonia to 4 the day before.

 

[eco23]

On day 17, I believe, nitrite went from 5 to 1 after I dosed ammonia to 4 the day before.

I don't remember you ever mentioning that. Why were you doing constant wager changes to keep it down if it was dropping on it's own?

 

[JimmyA]

Because when I added the ammonia, it would go back up to over 5.

 

[eco23]

Because when I added the ammonia, it would go back up to over 5.

It's okay if it's over 5, you just don't want it stalling and not coming down.

So, when you say they drop from 5 to 3 overnight, do you literally mean overnight? I assume you only test and add ammonia every 24 hours? How far does it drop in 24 hours instead of just overnight?

 

[JimmyA]

I'll have to test and check. Seems like on my charts I have some 12-hour and 24-hour measurements. The reduction in nitrites from 5 to 2 occurred in a 12 hour period.