Nitrite Level

[Mbuniac]

I have a 29 gal tank that has been set up for about one year. I have a 60 gal. power filter and undergravel filter with two Penguin 550 powerheads. I changed to Africans about 6-8 wks. ago, and have been doing a weekly 25% water change. Everything was okay til last week. When I tested my water after the change my nitrite level (which has always been zero) was .025. I think I may have too many fish. I will be setting up a 125 gal at Christmas time, but til then does anyone know of a chemical that I can add to keep the nitrite level down temporarily. Something like Amquel does with ammonia.
Thanks, Sam

[SGypsyMermaid]

your tank is cycling. if you have been using amquel during the cycling period, then you have slowed down the development of your bio filter bed. as the cycle develops, the bacteria that consume ammonia produce nitrites--now the bacteria that consume nitrites have to increase in number, and they will in turn produce nitrates. i would advise you to increase your water changes to 50% without adding a chemical to remove nitrites, and allow your biofilter to mature.

[jonah]

I wouldn't use chemicals either. I'd probably do a 50% per week change or 25% twice a week. The fish will be fine, Africans are pretty tough. :D

[Mbuniac]

Thanks folks! That is exactly what I will do.
Tomorrow is tank cleaning day.
Sam

[catfishes]

Any tank, be it S. American, African or marine requires 3-8 weeks to cycle, depending on the size of the tank and how many fish you start off with. The cycle goes as follows, Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate. Ammonia spikes within the first two weeks. After this time you shouldn't see any ammonia in your water, unless you've fallen lax on you water changes, or you do too great a water change and uncycle your tank. After the ammonia spike comes the nitrite spike, which generally lasts the remainder of your cycling time. During this two month period absolutely NO tank maintanence (i.e. water changes) should be taking place. By doing a water change, you are essentially vacuuming out all the good bacteria that you've worked so hard to cultivate. This bacteria is what fixates your nitrogen into a safe form for your fish. Until this bacteria is cultivated to an acceptable level in your tank, any water changes will throw the cycle back to day one. My suggestion is to "hurry up and wait". Leave the tank as it is. When you begin to see nitrates build, and nitrite level back down to zero, that is when you begin your water changes/filter changes etc (note: water changes and filter changes should not be done within the same week. It throws the tank back into the cycle) At this time you can also begin to introduce new fish into your aquarium. Most fish can make it through the ammonia spike, but only hardy fish will make it through the nitrite spike.

Amquel is a great product, but it should not be used to control the ammonia spike caused by cycling in your tank. I only use it to initially remove the ammonia from the city water which I use when doing water changes. I have yet to hear that it slows down the cycling process, much like most "start enzyme" products do.

[SGypsyMermaid]

During this two month period absolutely NO tank maintanence (i.e. water changes) should be taking place. By doing a water change, you are essentially vacuuming out all the good bacteria that you've worked so hard to cultivate.


welcome aboard, catfishes. :D i have to disagree with you here. most of the beneficial bacteria will colonize surfaces in a tank and will not be removed by water changes. there is some bacteria in the water column, and yes, some of it will be removed with water changes, but the bulk of it will remain on surfaces in the tank. i do agree that there should be no vacuuming during this time, and i would not advise removing any filter media with the exception of floss that is really dirty.

p.s.--i just realized that i misread mbuniac's initial post--he said that the tank has been up and running for a year(my eyes fixed on the "six to eight weeks". so i retract my statement that the tank is cycling, but since he's got elevated nitrite levels in a year-old tank, i repeat my advice regarding increasing the rate of water changes to at least fifty percent per week.

[Cichlid Jeans]

I think I may have too many fish.
Uh huh. :rofl: :lol:

I will be setting up a 125 gal at Christmas time, but til then does anyone know of a chemical that I can add to keep the nitrite level down temporarily.
AP sells Nitra-Zorb filter media for that job.

They also sell Stress Zyme and claim it boosts the nitrite eaters. I can't verify that (they're hard to count), but adding salt will reduce the toxicity of the nitrite that's in the tank.

GL

[SGypsyMermaid]

AP sells Nitra-Zorb filter media for that job.


i forgot about the resins!! :oops: chemipure works well, also.

[Mbuniac]

:oops: Sorry All! I should have posted this, but I immediately did a 50% water change after my post and my nitrite level has been zero since. I will continue that practice until I set up my 125. There is a great article on malawicichlids.com about setting up a new tank and maintaining an empty tank with pure ammonia. I forgot who the author was, but I believe he is a phD in chemistry.
Thanks for all your input, Sam

[SGypsyMermaid]

happy news!! :D

[Mbuniac]

I moved my 29 from the living room to the den today. Whew! What a job. I know it's not a big tank, but it tough to move by yourself. The good news is "I now have room for my 125". Come on Christmas!!!

[M_sfan87]

I have never had any problems with my nitrite's but I check often.

[Mbuniac]

I have been doing weekly 25% water changes and that seems to have taken care of it. Just too many fish, can't wait for my bigger tank!