Help... Urgently

[Samzter]

Okay I don't even know what happened ... But your probably gonna go mental! Somehow my nitrites have reached unordinary levels! They reached 5ppm but I really don't know how. I haven't added rocks, or decor. I added a new filter to try and get the levels down and the tank more aerated . Some fish are gasping and I don't know what to do. I have done a partial water change everyday since Sunday . But my chemicals are running out. All other levels are okay but this one still hasn't gone down. I retested to double check but now am starting to worry because I don't know what caused it.

 

[Samzter]

Update: just done a water change and the fish seem okay. I'm reducing feeding until the Nitrite clears up. I'm doing another change tomorrow then another 4 from Thursday to Sunday.

 

[GodFan]

Check your tap water. The water changes may be hurting you.

 

[Billbug68]

When you added the new filter, did you leave the old one on too?

Edit: also, was the nitrite already this high before the new filter???

 

[clearancepuppy]

I wonder if this situation has been building since before you went on vacation.

 

[Borderlesscott]

I think you already know about the API nitrate test - bang the hell out of bottle 2. Since your fish are showing stress probably means its correct but just incase, bang and recheck. Did you use an auto feeder when on holiday, chance it could have dumped to much food in, reduce feeding for a few days, maybe even skip feeding for a day or two.

Edit - sorry I though it was a nitrate problem not nitrite.

Did you loose any fish when on holiday that maybe caused a mini cycle?

 

[Samzter]

When you added the new filter, did you leave the old one on too?

Edit: also, was the nitrite already this high before the new filter???

Yah I have two filters running , the new and the old. I added filter media from another filter to the new one as well.

 

[Samzter]

I think you already know about the API nitrate test - bang the hell out of bottle 2. Since your fish are showing stress probably means its correct but just incase, bang and recheck. Did you use an auto feeder when on holiday, chance it could have dumped to much food in, reduce feeding for a few days, maybe even skip feeding for a day or two.

Edit - sorry I though it was a nitrate problem not nitrite.

Did you loose any fish when on holiday that maybe caused a mini cycle?

Yes I did lose a few on holiday. I think about 3 ? I had someone come in and feed the fish . I measured out the amounts of food to give to the fish. I'm going to test my tap water. Tap water carried 0ppm I don't know what to do...

 

[Borderlesscott]

How are things going now?

 

[Samzter]

Less fish are gasping. But still the guppies and platies are. I'm going to test now. I'm also not going to feed them for a few days. Do you think that might help? I'm going to do another wc then ring my Lfs. I'll keep you updated. Still at 5ppm.

 

[Jill1981]

Do you have a airstone? It sounds like lack of oxygen in the tank

 

[Samzter]

Do you have a airstone? It sounds like lack of oxygen in the tank

Um no. The problem is that nitrite levels have shot up. I have two filters... A fluval u2 and a u3. Another u3 is coming but I'm not sure weather to have it as a spare or for it to be in use.do you think I should put it in?

 

[Jill1981]

I would just carry on changing the water and removing any excess waste daily, I also use filter boost everyday that really helped with my cycling. Good luck hope your fish keep well

 

[Jill1981]

The reason I asked about airstone is because my fish were gasping once and I was advised on airstone to help with the oxygen in tank

 

[Borderlesscott]

If there still eating I would reduce the feeding and maybe feed alternate days, there's not much else you can do just keep testing and do regular water changes.

 

[Samzter]

I rung up my Lfs just now. I'm not going to feed them for another two days, then gradually start feeding them small amounts until the levels are fine.

 

[Borderlesscott]

Hope it works out, had my own nightmare recently so I know what's its like.

 

[GodFan]

Hang on.... the fluval u? Those are tiny filters are platies are kinda dirty. What size tank and what stocking are we talking about?

 

[Billbug68]

No doubt you're going through a mini cycle from this fish dying while you were away. Really, odds are that's what it is. Is this the 30 gallon you mention in your profile? Is the stock list the same? It kind of sounds like the tank was possible over stocked to begin with. Then a small filters BB trying to keep up with three rooting corpses... Ditch the fluval filters, get an aquaclear and call it a day! There's no reason you should have to run 3 filters on a 30 gallon. Keep up on the water changes like if you were doing a normal fish in cycle and keep testing! 50% or more to get those levels down.

 

[Samzter]

Hang on.... the fluval u? Those are tiny filters are platies are kinda dirty. What size tank and what stocking are we talking about?

They're not actually small, they are quite big. Powerful things too. It's the same stock on my profile. But there's 4 platies 3 guppies and only 3 dwarf Gouramis. It's a 30g and some neon tetras were added . Only five though.