I am testing my water with the test strips and am getting really high reading's on my nitrites. Is it possible to be getting a false positive reading? Fish are active and eating and seem to be doing just fine. I have now done 3 30% to 50% water changes every other day. The levels of nitrite have not come down at all. Any help would be great. I have a 55g with 12 small fish. A pleco,3 rummy nose tetras, 3 zebras, 2 glass fish and 2 cockatoo cichlids.
Nitrite testing
- Thread starter jsummers
- Start date
patoloco
De seguro no sabes lo que dice aqu
It will all depend on whether the tank has been completely cycled before or you added the fish without cycling? Nitrite WILL go skyhigh in the middle of the cycle proccess.
If your nitrite is high, you fish will suffer bacause their blood vessels will be saturated by nitrite and will carry less oxigen, and even though they mught seem to be fine, they might start dying suddenly.
Test strips are not really accurate, so if you can afford it, get a liquid test kit. They are far better.
So, plese tell us about your cycling procces and your water readings (ph, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate).
P.S. Roan, I did your work here :devil:
If your nitrite is high, you fish will suffer bacause their blood vessels will be saturated by nitrite and will carry less oxigen, and even though they mught seem to be fine, they might start dying suddenly.
Test strips are not really accurate, so if you can afford it, get a liquid test kit. They are far better.
So, plese tell us about your cycling procces and your water readings (ph, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate).
P.S. Roan, I did your work here :devil:
Tank is about 5-6 weeks old. I bought the zebra's and the glass fish to help cycle the tank. After about 3 weeks I bought the other fish. Ph is around 7.0 and the nitrates are elevated but are still in the normal range. I have not tested for ammonia. I thought that this was part of the nitrite levels. Please bare with me I am very new to this hobbie.
I would suggest the test tube test kit..the strips have a history of giving false readings.
have you tested your warter source ie tap.??
aquarium pharmaceuticals has a master kit that tests ph,ammonia,nitrite and nitrates.
what are you considering as a 'nitrite normal' range..in my tank the normal is 0 anything above that is not normal. :dive2:
have you tested your warter source ie tap.??
aquarium pharmaceuticals has a master kit that tests ph,ammonia,nitrite and nitrates.
what are you considering as a 'nitrite normal' range..in my tank the normal is 0 anything above that is not normal. :dive2:
ROFL!patoloco said:
Thanks
Setting up the 3rd 75g and a 29g in my son's room -- and possibly a 45g -- this week so I'm kinda swamped for time ATM. Gonna be lean on the board anyhow :Angel:
Roan
patoloco
De seguro no sabes lo que dice aqu
jsummers said:
They should drop by themselves by the next week but a 10ppm nitrite level is murder to your fish. (My test kit will read max 5ppm) Start doing some water changes ASAP. Maybe do a 20% in the morning and 20% in the night for a few days until they are reduced to less than 1ppm.
Doing this will not harm your cycling proccess.
Since you aere new to the hobby, I'd really recommend you to follow this link and read the threads linked there:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=12297
good luck and hope you can get the complete test kit soon. Remember you are welcome here whenever you need help to give your fish a better life.