Nitrite test turns clear.

[librarygirl]

What size tank do you have? An automatic water changer may help with water changes. I have this one and it's great, no more buckets! Amazon.com: Aqueon Aquarium Water Changer - 25 Feet: Pet Supplies You just drain the tank with it and then add enough dechlorinator to the tank for the volume of the whole tank (not just the water you are replacing) and then refill the tank from the same hose.

 

[Chino1130]

I have a 25 gallon. Is that things similar to a python?

It occured to me this morning that when I empty water from my tank, I don't need to fill up my five gallon bucket multiple times then dump it each time. I can just run the line out my bedroom window and drain it outside in one shot. Had I thought to do that last night it would have saved me like a dozen trips to the bathroom while holding a 50pound bucket.

 

[librarygirl]

I have a 25 gallon. Is that things similar to a python?

It occured to me this morning that when I empty water from my tank, I don't need to fill up my five gallon bucket multiple times then dump it each time. I can just run the line out my bedroom window and drain it outside in one shot. Had I thought to do that last night it would have saved me like a dozen trips to the bathroom while holding a 50pound bucket.

Yeah that would have helped!

Yes the Aqueon is similar to the Python.

 

[Chino1130]

So took some readings tonight.

Last night I dosed my ammonia to 2-3ppm and nitrites were somewhere between 2-5ppm. Nitrates were At 0ppm.

Tonight ammonia read 0. Nitrites were a solid 5, maybe a smidge higher. Nitrates were 30-40ppm.

Even though nitrites increased, they were no where near off the charts. The nitrate reading made me happy. My nitrates have read 10-20 for a 8 days without moving, and went to 0 last night after crazy water changes. The fact that they rose 30-40ppm in one day at least indicates that nitrites have started to be converted

 

[jlk]

YAY!!! The water changes helped and things are moving forward! Keep up the good work!!

 

[Chino1130]

This morning my nitrates climbed to 80+ppm. I just finished doing a 90% water change and got ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates to all read 0ppm. I just dosed ammonia to 4-5ppm.

Fingers crossed!

 

[librarygirl]

This morning my nitrates climbed to 80+ppm. I just finished doing a 90% water change and got ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates to all read 0ppm. I just dosed ammonia to 4-5ppm.

Fingers crossed!

Looks good. You don't need to keep doing water changes; it's OK to let those numbers climb.

 

[Chino1130]

Looks good. You don't need to keep doing water changes; it's OK to let those numbers climb.

Yeah. I just don't want a repeat of last time, yah know? I haven't zeroed everything out since I started this cycle, I'd like to be able see what happens now that everything was reset, just to get a real idea of how I'm doing.

 

[Chino1130]

This morning my nitrates climbed to 80+ppm. I just finished doing a 90% water change and got ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates to all read 0ppm. I just dosed ammonia to 4-5ppm.

Fingers crossed!

So, at 5:00 this afternoon my curiosity got the better of me and I had to test my levels. Since 8:00am this morning;

Ammonia went from 4-5ppm down to 2ppm.
Nitrites went from 0ppm to 5+ppm
Nitrates went from 0ppm to 20ppm

Does anything seem wrong here?

 

[jlk]

It looks good to me! Your ammonia is dropping, your nitrites are spiking, and the nitrates are appearing. Put the tests away (and buckets) away for tonight and lets see how things look tommorrow!

 

[Chino1130]

Well I took readings at 10 this morning. Since 5:00 pm yesterday afternoon...

Ammo went from 2ppm to 0ppm
Nitrites went from 5+ppm to 2-5ppm
Nitrates went from 20ppm to 40-80ppm

I dosed ammonia back up to 2ppm. I'll check it again tonight when I get home from work around 10pm.

 

[jlk]

You are doing good!!!

 

[Chino1130]

Exciting news tonight!

Last night - 10/8/2011 10:15pm
Ammo = 0ppm
Nitrite = 2-5 ppm
Nitrate = 80ppm
*added 4ppm ammonia

Tonight -10/9/2011 9:45pm
Ammo = 0ppm
Nitrite = 0ppm
Nitrate = 80-160ppm (I'm gonna say 130)

This is the first time nitrites have gotten to 0ppm without a water change! I added more ammonia in tonight, and plan on doing a water change tomorrow afternoon (Monday) to get nitrates back down to 0. I will add more ammonia (hopefully for the last time), and if everythiing checks out Tuesday afternoon, I will be purchasing some fish on Wednesday! Should my nitrates be a concern? They went from 0ppm to nearly 160ppm in just over 48 hours ...

 

[eco23]

That's great news . You've got a great plan. I wouldn't worry about the nitrAte readings at all...it'll just take a lot of water changes to get them below 20 when the time comes. Keep us posted

 

[Chino1130]

That's great news . You've got a great plan. I wouldn't worry about the nitrAte readings at all...it'll just take a lot of water changes to get them below 20 when the time comes. Keep us posted

Are they going to be produced that rapidly from here on out? I don't feel like having to do a massive water change every other day lol. I'm sure the fish will hate it too.

 

[eco23]

Are they going to be produced that rapidly from here on out? I don't feel like having to do a massive water change every other day lol. I'm sure the fish will hate it too.

No, it's all relative...although sometimes delayed. The ammonia being put into the tank turns into nitrAte...and it happens slowly and steadily. When 4ppm is added all at once it can cause quick jumps in the levels. Even then, I don't have full faith in your test kit based on your experience with this thread, lol.

 

[Chino1130]

Haha. My test kit is good. My numbers seemed funky because I was miss interpreting my nitrite reading. Once I got that sorted out, everything started making sense. I test my established tank quite often and everyhing checks out.

 

[jlk]

Congrats!!!! Your bacteria are doing what they are supposed to do! Dont worry about the nitrate levels or pwcs yet. Dose the ammonia as you have been doing for few more days just tto make sure your amm & nitrite keep returning to zero. When you are ready for your fish, then do big wc's to reduce your nitrates below 20ppm. I will warn you that it may take alot of wc's to get the nitrate levels down (i had to do three 90% followed by another 50% just to get my nitrates below 20ppm)!!! Good luck and let us know how things go!!!!

 

[librarygirl]

That's great! Eco and Jlk covered everything so I have nothing more to add. Post pics of your fish when you get them!

 

[Master503]

I have a quick question because I do have a similar problem here .. what if my Ammonia for few time it went back to .25ppm, Nitrite: 0ppm, Nitrate: 10-20ppm. This is 25Gal with about 15 guppies fish in there. Should I still dose the ammonia for few drops daily?