High Nitrites - New tank setup

It sounds like you're smack dabb in the middle of cycling to me. running the tank without fish in it does next to nothing unless you are adding ammonia and doing fishless cycling.

The cycling process builds up a colony of nitrifying bacteria that turn the ammonia that fish and food waste produce into nitrites and then into nitrates. Generally, during a cycle your tank will test high for ammonia first for a couple of weeks while the bacteria that turn it into nitrites multiply. Just as the ammonia levels start to come down the nitrites will start to climb as the bacteria that turn nitrites into nitrates start to multiply. Your tank is cycled when it tests zero for both ammonia and nitrites.

Nitrates are still poisonous to fish but only at high levels. Generally speaking, regular water changes should keep the nitrate levels at 20-30 ppm or less.

There's no way to avoid this process but you can do it differently. You can fishless cycle (too late for you but you can look up information on it in these formus) you can fishy cycle (what you're doing now) or you can introduce an establish bacteria colony to your tank.

When the LFS told you to buy Cycle their intention was to introduce a bacteria colony to your tank. Unfortunately, I know no one nor have I heard of anyone ever claim Cycle worked for them. It may be somewhat helpful but I sort of doubt it. One product that I know works is Bio Spira. You can get it at some LFSs but not at the chain stores. I was in a simialr situation as you and had my tank half cycled when I introduced Bio Spira. After I put it in the tank cycled completely in two days.

In the mean time, the best way to relieve your fish of high ammonia, nitrite, or nitrate levels is water changes. When you are cycling with fish you should plan on changing about 25% of your water every day until the levels of nitrite and ammonia are gone.

Tom

Nitrites are the second stage of the nitrogen cycle--ammonia is converted by bacteria into nitrites. A different set of bacteria convert nitrites into nitrates. Nitrites are very lethal in low levels--this is why the test kit doesn't show higher levels. You can determine a higher level by diluting the tank water with distilled water and then using that ratio as a mutliplier (ie, dilute by half, multiply the result by 2).

That plant you put in won't help a whole lot. In order to get enough bacteria from an existing tank you're probably going to look for a little more than that. A couple of handfuls of gravel (you can put this in a nylon so it can be removed later) or an old filter cartredge are the best bets usually.

The bacteria you want attache themselve to surfaces that have a lot of current flowing through so they can take advantage of the oxtgen cruising by. For this reason you're most likely to find them in the greatest numbers in filter media.

Using a fake plant from another tank will help but it won't work instantly. Swishing a filter that's been in an established tank for a month or two around in your tank and then dropping it in your filter will help a ton and may even cycle the tank in a couple of days.

Tom

Originally posted by tomm10
When the LFS told you to buy Cycle their intention was to introduce a bacteria colony to your tank. Unfortunately, I know no one nor have I heard of anyone ever claim Cycle worked for them. It may be somewhat helpful but I sort of doubt it.

Click to expand...

I've just started a brand new tank. Added the Cycle and AquaPlus (de-cholrinator) in the water, and couple of plants for 2-3 days. Then I put 4 tetras in for ~4days. Then i've been stocking up to 18 fish now (about 2 weeks total from start). So far I've yet tested any detectable ammonia and all the fish are alive and look ok (well, only complain is the 4 lemon tetras aren't showing much if any yellow color). So I think the Cycle has worked for me. It's hard to say for sure since there isn't a control to compare. But considering my tank cycle apparently was completed in a week or less, the Cycle must have done something I guess

scrappy: did you use any sort of de-chlorinator? maybe the chlorine in the water is slowing down by cycle progress by inhibiting the bacterial growth? just my thought.

Well, I'm glad its working for you but are you also testing for nitrites? Live plants help a lot in taking up the excess ammonia and nitrites.

I would still keep a vigilant watch on you water parameters until your getting consistent levels of 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites.

How big is the tank, by the way? 18 fish is a bunch.

Tom

Originally posted by tomm10
Well, I'm glad its working for you but are you also testing for nitrites? Live plants help a lot in taking up the excess ammonia and nitrites.

I would still keep a vigilant watch on you water parameters until your getting consistent levels of 0 ammonia and 0 nitrites.

How big is the tank, by the way? 18 fish is a bunch.

Tom

Click to expand...

Yes yes and yes. Definitely, I'm still keeping an eye on the tank water for the toxic stuffs. I do have a few live plants so that would also help too as you said.

It's a 20gallon I think, used. 18 fish maybe is still ok I hope. Largest fish are only a pair of Neon Rainbowfishs. BUT I'm still very tempted to get more....must....resist.... oh i want some panda cory
Here's a pic http://community.webshots.com/s/image9/3/77/99/116137799WLechV_fs.jpg It needs some rework tho, too bare on the 2 sides, especially right; and nothing much in the foreground as I can't find any foreground plants for sale anywhere :sad
Oops seems to be getting off topic sorry

Cycle has not been proven to add the bacteria that live in aquariums. I would discontinue it's use.

There's lots of controversy about salt--I highly suggest reading: http://www.aaquaria.com/aquasource/salt.shtml and come to your own conclusion. I will say that adding something to the tank without understanding why is a hazardous undertaking, IMO.

Never heard of the nutrafin product, but a healthy tank doesn't smell offensively, so I question it's usefulness.