high nitrites for weeks

[LadyApril83]

I am getting high (1-5) nitrites for about 2.5 weeks now I have gone so far as to change the water 50%-70% every 12 hrs...but that's only when I see signs in the fish. Usually I can do water changes every 2 days...if I see signs in the fish I do a change ASAP.....tank has been going since the start of July... I destroyed my bb with ich treatment and my tank becoming acidic
Tonight my measurements were
Ph of 8.2ish
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 3-5 then I did a 70% water change and 8hrs did another 70% change cuz I won't be able to do another one till Friday am because of work and the fish were acting strange
Nitrates were 20 before the changes.

I dosed about 10x the Amt of prime (due to my tap ammonia being off the chart high 4ppm which is what I normally do...because it brings the tap to 0 or less than .25.)

Am I doing what needs to be done...am I doing too much...too little? I work 12hr shifts and I am just me I can't do much more but I can try. I want the bb to grow and do their job! I haven't changed or rinsed out filter media...should I? Just a tad frustrated..

 

[Blos85]

You could always add them bacteria products to help boost it

 

[Blos85]

If you rinse the filters be sure it is dechlorinated water so you don't risk killing your bacteria.

 

[LadyApril83]

I am adding stability by seachem the new filter about a month old I'm running an ac70 ..the old one is still running too a top fin 40

 

[Blos85]

If you dont mind me asking how come you didnt use a small hospital tank to prevent that in you community tank? Were all your fish infected?

 

[LadyApril83]

I don't have another tank. And no not all got ich but I treated the whole tank when I diagnosed it cuz ich infects the whole water/tank. And I won't treat with meds again just heat I like that approach best...I still don't have a smaller tank as I have no where to put one at the moment unless it comes with a stand. I'm looking tho.

 

[Fishfur]

I think, possibly, you might have a lack of phosphorus, and without it, the nitrobacter that convert nitrite can't function. Here is an article on nitrifying bacteria. I only read this the other day but it may explain the problems of stalled cycles with high nitrites.

Nitrifying Bacteria Facts

This is an excerpt from the article on the page you will find there, specifically on phosphates and nitrobacter.

Quote" All species of nitrifying bacteria require a number of micronutrients. Most important among these is the need for phosphorus for ATP (Adenosine Tri-Phosphate) production. The conversion of ATP provides energy for cellular functions. Phosphorus is normally available to cells in the form of phosphates (PO4). Nitrobacter, especially, is unable to oxidize nitrite to nitrate in the absence of phosphates.
Sufficient phosphates are normally present in regular drinking water. During certain periods of the year, the amount of phosphates may be very low. A phenomenon known as "Phosphate Block" may occur. If all the above described parameters are within the optimum ranges for the bacteria and nitrite levels continue to escalate without production of nitrate, then phosphate block may be occurring. In recent years, with the advent of phosphate-free synthetic sea salt mixes, this problem has become prevalent among marine aquarists when establishing a new tank.
Fortunately, phosphate block is easy to remedy. A source of phosphate needs to be added to the aquarium. Phosphoric Acid is recommended as being simplest to use and dose, however, either mono-sodium phosphate or di-sodium phosphate may be substituted. Unquote"

 

[Blos85]

Well i could be wrong about this but from ive learned and heard about ick is if your fish gets it it was either already in your tank or on your fish. I do know it only effects fish when they are stressed. Ive been told just cuz a fish is sick in your tank doesnt mean your water is contaminated but it could mean more thing like water problems temp problem anything that may cause the fish to stress cuz they are more susceptible to disease that way. I personally haven't had it in a while but just like you i've heard raising the temp and salt additions are better to kill it. Altho if its misdiagnosed and not ick but a fugal disease raising the temp actually accelerates it and it spreads and kills quicker.

 

[Masha]

Apparently that idea that the white spot parasite is always present, and fish only get it if they are stressed is not true.

Here's a great article about it http://www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/ich.php

It is true that fish are less resistant to the parasite when they are stressed, but the parasite cant lie dormant for ages like people often say- especially not in a tank with no fish.

 

[Baddog671]

I would definitely suggest cleaning out your filter media by gently whisking it in a bucket of old tank water. I was having severe nitrite problems for about 3 weeks, and water changes were doing nothing. At one point I did 6 50% water changes within a 24 hour period and it showed no difference. I was thoroughly confused...

Whisked out my filter a few days later (mulm buildup) and my nitrites fell to 0 immediately. Filter also flowed better. Before cleaning my media, my nitrites were so high I could never get a reading. Bright Barney purple

 

[Blos85]

That article was well worth reading thank you for posting it. But again as i said in text i could be wrong...i only was saying what ive always been told when dealing with diseases. Just trying to help with what I've learned. "Knocking on wood" but haven't had to fight any since my first ever tank and hope it doesn't ever happen anytime soon. Although if i get one with ick i personally would remove it and treat in separate tank and not treat my main tank unless absolutely necessary. The repercussions are too great for a main treatment.

 

[Masha]

Although if i get one with ick i personally would remove it and treat in separate tank and not treat my main tank unless absolutely necessary. The repercussions are too great for a main treatment.

That sounds like sense to me. Especially if you have loaches, or fish that are more sensitive to the meds than others. Hopefully you can get the fish out before the free swimming phase of the parasite

 

[aqua_chem]

I think, possibly, you might have a lack of phosphorus, and without it, the nitrobacter that convert nitrite can't function. Here is an article on nitrifying bacteria. I only read this the other day but it may explain the problems of stalled cycles with high nitrites.

Nitrifying Bacteria Facts

This is an excerpt from the article on the page you will find there, specifically on phosphates and nitrobacter.

Quote" All species of nitrifying bacteria require a number of micronutrients. Most important among these is the need for phosphorus for ATP (Adenosine Tri-Phosphate) production. The conversion of ATP provides energy for cellular functions. Phosphorus is normally available to cells in the form of phosphates (PO4). Nitrobacter, especially, is unable to oxidize nitrite to nitrate in the absence of phosphates.
Sufficient phosphates are normally present in regular drinking water. During certain periods of the year, the amount of phosphates may be very low. A phenomenon known as "Phosphate Block" may occur. If all the above described parameters are within the optimum ranges for the bacteria and nitrite levels continue to escalate without production of nitrate, then phosphate block may be occurring. In recent years, with the advent of phosphate-free synthetic sea salt mixes, this problem has become prevalent among marine aquarists when establishing a new tank.
Fortunately, phosphate block is easy to remedy. A source of phosphate needs to be added to the aquarium. Phosphoric Acid is recommended as being simplest to use and dose, however, either mono-sodium phosphate or di-sodium phosphate may be substituted. Unquote"

That website is probably one of the most factually incorrect site that I've yet encountered. I would highly recommend you find an alternate resource to read. The entire concept of a "phosphate block" is incorrect for aquariums. If fish are present, then there will be enough phosphate available to completely cycle a tank, no question. There is never a reason to add additional phosphates. This is not the problem at hand.

There are no ich treatments that I know of that harm the BB. What did you do that you think would have done this? You were correct to dose the entire tank though. Once ich gets into a tank, there's no point in treating individual fish in isolation as it's in your water by that point.

How old is this tank? Could this just be the nitrite phase of your natural cycle?

 

[jlk]

Actually, methylene blue is used in some ich meds and it's definitely a cycle killer. Even raising the salinity sufficiently as I do when I treat goldfish severely disrupts a cycled tank. At .3%, it recovers once the salinity is reduced but at .5%, it does not.

 

[aqua_chem]

Methylene blue isn't commonly used anymore as an anti-ich treatment. It's largely been replaced by malachite green by all but the most diehard traditionalists. I can't remember the last time I saw methylene blue sold in a store.

 

[Blos85]

That website is probably one of the most factually incorrect site that I've yet encountered. I would highly recommend you find an alternate resource to read. The entire concept of a "phosphate block" is incorrect for aquariums. If fish are present, then there will be enough phosphate available to completely cycle a tank, no question. There is never a reason to add additional phosphates. This is not the problem at hand.

There are no ich treatments that I know of that harm the BB. What did you do that you think would have done this? You were correct to dose the entire tank though. Once ich gets into a tank, there's no point in treating individual fish in isolation as it's in your water aby that point.

How old is this tank? Could this just be the nitrite phase of your natural cycle?

Haha! Thanks for clearing that up! I feel dumb now! Ive never treated for it other then with salt and heat. But i thought most all meds did interfer with the BB

 

[jlk]

Methylene blue isn't commonly used anymore as an anti-ich treatment. It's largely been replaced by malachite green by all but the most diehard traditionalists. I can't remember the last time I saw methylene blue sold in a store.

See, we are spoiled here in the US market with easy access to just about any med for fish, including antibiotics. MB is pretty common in countries with very restrictive limits on fish meds or limited access to fish meds in general.

 

[aqua_chem]

See, we are spoiled here in the US market with easy access to just about any med for fish, including antibiotics. MB is pretty common in countries with very restrictive limits on fish meds or limited access to fish meds in general.

I see. Point taken.

 

[LadyApril83]

That website is probably one of the most factually incorrect site that I've yet encountered. I would highly recommend you find an alternate resource to read. The entire concept of a "phosphate block" is incorrect for aquariums. If fish are present, then there will be enough phosphate available to completely cycle a tank, no question. There is never a reason to add additional phosphates. This is not the problem at hand.

There are no ich treatments that I know of that harm the BB. What did you do that you think would have done this? You were correct to dose the entire tank though. Once ich gets into a tank, there's no point in treating individual fish in isolation as it's in your water by that point.

How old is this tank? Could this just be the nitrite phase of your natural cycle?

I actually think what killed my bacteria is the tank water becoming very acidic less than the reading of 6 most likely (normally its 8-8.2 like my tap water). The tank has had fish in since the beginning of July I will rinse out the filter media when I get home and my tap water contains an abundance of phosphorus I live in Florida there is a lot of minerals in my tap water so even if phosphorus block were possible I don't believe it would happen in my water.
I used maracide (i think it is called) for one dose then a fish died so I just went with heat. And it worked

 

[20cc]

I actually think what killed my bacteria is the tank water becoming very acidic less than the reading of 6 most likely (normally its 8-8.2 like my tap water). The tank has had fish in since the beginning of July I will rinse out the filter media when I get home and my tap water contains an abundance of phosphorus I live in Florida there is a lot of minerals in my tap water so even if phosphorus block were possible I don't believe it would happen in my water.
I used maracide (i think it is called) for one dose then a fish died so I just went with heat. And it worked

negatory... my water PH is way below 6.0 and i dont have any problems. something killed off your bb. 70% water change is a no no. you shouldnt worry about PH or nitrates. its ammonia and nitrites you should be worried about. keep dosing the bacteria and prime until your bb cathes up.