New Tank - High Nitrites

[Ayrianth]

I have a 50 gallon tank with Cichlids. It's about two weeks old. The nitrites are high. Will they go down on their own as the tank cycles or do I need to help it along with a water change or by adding chemicals?

All the fish seem to be fine. Two are even breeding but I want to get the levels right.


Thanks in advance for your help.

[JSchmidt]

Water changes are in order. Keeping the nitrites below .5 ppm will definitely make your fish more comfortable. Nitrite competes with oxygen at the gills, making fish unable to breathe, so keeping it low is good.

If your tank is new, you might have ammonia present, too. Are you testing for that also?

Good luck,
Jim

[OrionGirl]

Water changes, water changes, water changes! Search on cycling, and you'll see why the nitrites are high. The bacteria colonies need time to develop, and in the mean time, those nitrites are hurting your fish, even if they seem fine.

[anonapersona]

IF you can find Prime water conditioner, it can detox the nitrite so that the fish are unaffected.

Still, water changes are in order, the first line of defense!

[Ayrianth]

Iv'e been told that the tank HAS to complete this cycle and I can either do the water changes recommended here and prolong the process or let it go and watch the health of the fish, only doing water changes if the fish appear to be in distress.


arggg.... this is like raising kids, no clear answer! lol

[N8DOGG]

No you don't have to wait till the cycle is complet to do water changes, so start to do them. It will not prolong the cycle process and they will ensure your fish are healthly and live through the cycle.
What king of cichlids do you have in there? How many? what is your filtration like?

[JSchmidt]

As long as there is food (ammonia and nitrite) in excess of what the bacteria can consume, they will multiply. The limiting factor is how long it takes them to grow and multiply, not how much excess food there is for them. Since an excess of .3 ppm will lead to growh of the biofilter just as fast as 1 ppm (or 5 ppm), why not do water changes to protect the health of your fish?

Jim

[Ayrianth]

As long as there is food (ammonia and nitrite) in excess of what the bacteria can consume, they will multiply. The limiting factor is how long it takes them to grow and multiply, not how much excess food there is for them. Since an excess of .3 ppm will lead to growh of the biofilter just as fast as 1 ppm (or 5 ppm), why not do water changes to protect the health of your fish?

Jim


Thanks for the explanation. :)

Although as of today is seems to be a moot point as the nitrites are almost at the normal level.