Someone please explain to me

Lisa01

AC Members
Sep 7, 2005
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I am not a newbie by any means to the "fish" world but I have some wierd things going on with my tank

Amonia 0-.5
Nitrites 4
Natrates 1

So I did a 50% water change last night

Amonia 0
Nitrites 4
Niatates 1

same thing. Whats going on and what do I do?
I really dont want to use prime it just covers the problem
 
this will probably sound dumb but are you using a UGF? I have read of people having nitrite jumps after a while with those.
 
If nitrites are truly at 4 your fish should be showing severe signs of a problem. I would question the test kit if there is no sign of nitrite poisoning in your fish. Nitrite limits o2 in the blood, and causes some serious stress. Take a sample of your water to the LFs, and have them test it to cross check your kits. a little salt will help with nitrite poisoning short term. Any form of CL will work, so NaCl or Kcl etc. It doesn't take much about 1/2 teaspoon per gallon should do the trick.

Nitrates are low enoguh to make me wonder if you are in fact cycled though.
Dave
 
I have a 75 G

1 small oscar
2 jack dempsey
1 pleco (4")

I am running a emporer 400 bio wheel...This tank has been up and running about 4 months......I haven't changed my filters
 
Sounds to me like you either don't have a biological filter established or that you knocked the one you have out of wack.

I'd treat like a new tank and do a lot of water changes for a while.

(And Prime dechlorinates, it does nothing for the cycle except to keep your tap water from killing your bacteria. I always use it when I do water changes.)
 
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yeah, if you're not using a dechlorinator you're killing off a bunch of the bacteria every time you do a water change.
 
jaylin, you might want to read your bottle of prime. it claims to do more than dechlorinate, and I think that is what lisa01 was talking about.

My first thought was to double check the tests also.
IME fish look REALLY bad at lower nitrite readings than that.
good luck
 
I am on a well no clorhine.....and LPS says my H2o is perfect out of the tap

No cholorine, no heavy metals and a PH of 6.8-7
 
zazz said:
jaylin, you might want to read your bottle of prime. it claims to do more than dechlorinate, and I think that is what lisa01 was talking about.

Moot point if she's putting tap water into her tank without treating it.

Since it's well water ... oh well.
 
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