Nitrite problems! Help?!?

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Titanbry77

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Apr 1, 2006
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Nitrite problems! Help - Updated?

Hello all, I have been battling a Nitrite problem in my tank for some time now! I have been to local Aquarium stores etc and been able to get my Nitrite level down to 0ppm but eventually it ends up back in the dangerous levels.

To tell you the basics I have a 25gal freshwater tank, 2 live plants, and 1 large silver dollar, a plecostamus and a few of the small chinese algae eater fish. I had the gravel in there for 8 years and was told that could be an issue, so I entirely removed all the gravel items in tank etc. For a good 2 weeks I did a few 50% water changes a week. Cleaned all filters, (Whisper 40Gal) Changed my carbon filters etc. The tank went through its natural cycle again in which the Nitrite spiked, then eventually dropped to 0.

I have been checking Nitrite levels nearly 2-3 times a week and just last nite i noticed yet again its back in the danger zone. I feed the fish a tiny pinch every other day, the Ammonia level is at 0, PH is perfect, water hardness test is fine. I don't know why this keeps happening?

Any help suggestions etc?

Thanks!
 
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You didn't mention nitrate. What is you nitrate number?
 
I have not measured Nitrate, I will buy a Nitrate kit tommorow and test immediately, I was not aware that this was a needed test, I just have PH, Ammonia, Nitrite and Water Hardness test kits. I will post back with the Nitrate results. Thanks.
 
Post again with the nitrate numbers. If your tank is 8yo, as you stated your gravel was, you may have OTS.
 
budrecki said:
Post again with the nitrate numbers. If your tank is 8yo, as you stated your gravel was, you may have OTS.
Click to expand...

if the PH is perfect, it wouldn't be OTS since OTS has water that is very acidity.
 
maybe if i can get through this without being bashed about pran i will tell you what your problem IS.

you took out all the gravel items etc....

then you took out the carbon media and cleaned filters

then you put new filters in there

then you did water changes

you killed all of your bacteria. You are completely starting over from scratch. it takes 3-5 weeks to cycle completely. use some amquel plus and wait it out.

keep up the water changes.
 
Thanks I am getting the Nitrate test today.

Thanks Puffer, I did however notice the spike when I did all the gravel change, water, filter etc, for a good 4-5 weeks it spiked off the charts on Nitrite and I was sure that this was the tank re-establishing its Biological filter.

Then after a few weeks it went to dead 0, and stayed there. Then I noticed it slightly going to maybe .5ppm, then now its up there again past that, I don't know why, maybe the biological filter was not fully established etc?

I will post my Nitrate numbers shortly.
 
If you have any other tanks with cycled media (filter pads, substrate) I would suggest adding a bit to the tank.

If you have nitrites, your tank is still cycling. Any Nitrite or Ammonia levels are very toxic to fish, the fish sign of any of these should send you to get your water change supplies, even the smallest measurement of them. During cycling, if you have fish present, 50% or better water changes DAILY are a nessecary and critical thing. Trust me I know, I deal with uncycled tanks when getting new discus in, 75% changes twice a day. Its just something you need to do.

Cycling doesn't conform to any time frame, it may take 3 weeks or it could just as easily take 8 weeks.

To another issue with your tank. All of those fish are not suitable for a 20gal. Silver dollars get far too large and are far too active for a 20g, the Common Pleco you have can and will reach upwards of 18", I personally have seen them grow to 12-13" in their first year. The chinese algea eaters are a bad choice because they get to a decent size, and get fairly aggressive as they age. They also will not do much for controling algea once they start to grow older, the same is true with the Pleco.

These fish also produce high amounts of wastes, this could be part of your problem.

My suggestion would be to take these back to the LFS (you will probably not get back what you paid for them, and may only get credit toward other purchases), get your tank under control, and then research into some more appropriate fish. A few suggestions, Otos, Cories, Black Skirt tetras, etc. Basically fish that won't get much larger than 2-3". With the above suggestion you could do 4 Otos, a shoal of 6 cories, and still most likely have room for a small shoal of 6 tetras.

HTH,
Brian
 
Wow you really think it is overstocked? It is 25 Gallon and only has the 4 tiny chinese algae eaters, a very small placo, and the Silver dollar?

I bought the Nitrate test kit, my Nitrate is high, at about 100ish . Nitrite is also high, the Ammonia is at 0ppm. PH is perfect.

I tested the tap water also with all the kits, PH is very high out of the tap, Nitrate is 0ppm.

For now I am putting the NitraZorb pad in to help reduce both the Nitrate and Nitrite as well as added some of the aquarium salt to help aid in the fish that are already in the tank. Other than that I don't know why it keeps spiking, maybe it wasn't fully finished cycling??
 
With all that you did, your cycle is continuing. Hit the water changes to get that nitrate around 20 of less.

Sometimes, most often actually, you need to look far down the road to judge overstocking. You would probably be okay, for a short while with the mix you have, but not for very long.
 
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