High NitrItes

[WaterBaby]

Tell me if I got this right::

I have a 6 gallon eclipse with one Betta. I decided to add 2 corys. The corys were in the tank for about 4 days, when the Betta all of a sudden decided that he did not like them anymore,,,,, so,,, I took them out and transferred them into another tank.

Now, I just tested the water in the tank, and the Nitrites were off the chart (5.0 or higher) and the ammonia was also (.5 to 1.0).

I did a huge water change (50%). Tested the water again and the Nitrites came down to (.50).

Did this happen cause the 2 corys added to the ammonia, thus more nitrifying bacteria? Then removed the corys and much of the bacteria died off, thus nitrites?

And should I do another water change today or wait till tomorrow. Honestly, I don't know how the Betta's still alive. :confused:

[wetmanNY]

It's not the two little Corydoras breathing out ammonia...

..."There's been a great Disturbance in the Force, as if millions of bacteria cried out..."

What happened about a week before you first posted?

[WaterBaby]

No, not breathing out ammonia..............Peeing out ammonia :) I cycled (or so I thought) the tank using squeezings from another tank's filter sponge.

Water parameters were fine before adding corys... NO ammonia, NO nitrites, pH of 7.6 to 7.8.

OK... I give,,,,, what happened a week before I first posted...??:confused:

[wetmanNY]

I said "breathing" because I was trying to avoid the term "respiring"-- but ammonia comes from the gills, you may be surprised to hear. Very very little ammonia in the copious but dilute urine of a freshwater fish...

No, I did mean my question as a real question, not a challenge. Your cycle isn't as sturdy yet as it will be soon. You have upset it somehow, about a week ago I reckon. Gravel cleaning? Somehow. A brief spike of ammonia may often be followed by a longer spike of nitrite.

Keep up the water changes and ride it out with ease!

[WaterBaby]

Thanks Wetman.... This is a re-set up tank. Gravel is new.....

And.. I did not know that fish "respire" ammonia from their gills.. I thought that all the ammonia was from their urine..... Interesting... ;)

I'll keep up the water changes and see what happens.

[WaterBaby]

WOW :) Nitrites are finally coming down after many days of water changes (sometimes 30%). It's < .25ppm. Ammonia is almost non-detectable also.

Hopefully a couple of more water changes and It'll hit 0.

Question: Are water changes the ONLY way to get rid of Nitrites?

Also, I have added some live plants to the tank in the last 2 days. Could this have helped?

"Blue Star" the Betta seems to be happy. He's building a bubblenest in the back corner of the tank. :)

[OrionGirl]

Bacteria consume nitrites--water changes are a short term solution to the problem until the bacteria bed can catch up. NitrAtes are removed through water changes--the bacteria that consume nitrates are anaerobic, and in most tanks there are few areas that have little enough oxygen to support them.

Adding plants will help indirectly--they will use ammonia and nitrates, but ammonia by preference. So, there won't be as much ammonia being converted into nitrites, but the current level of nitrites from bacterial efforts won't be impacted.