I have african cichlids, and need some help with nitrite problems. I did a test last week, my nitrite was 0. Woke up this morning, and two of my breeder cichlids died. I checked the nitrite, and it is off the chart. It is above 3.0 How can I get it to go down?
Water changes and more water changes until the nitrites are at 0 or as close as possible.
Get some PRIME water conditioner. It will help because it not only removes chlorine and chloramines, it detoxifies nitrites and ammonia and in an emergency gives immediate relief to your occupants, then you have to have to do water changes to bring the nitrites down. You can do an emergency dose that is five times the normal dose when needed.
When you do water changes you put in dose for the full tank volumne, not for the volumne of replacement water.
Example: 50 gallon tank with 50% water change means you siphon out and replace 25 gallons, right, but you put the dose of Prime in that would be for 50 gallons, not 25.
Now some important questions to help us know what's happening and how to help.
What size tank do you have and what and how many occupants, what substrate, do you have plants, and what is your lighting?.
How long has it been set up?
What are your parameters? Ammonia, nitrite, nitrates, temp, ph, gh, kh if you have those.
What kind of test kit: Strips or Liquid. You must get liquid as the strips are inaccurate and inconsistent.
What is your schedule for water changes and vacuuming substrate?
You change the filter media? Do you mean the carbon filter or the biofilter. The biofilter shouldn't be changed, just rinsed gently in the tank water removed during water changes.
The beneficial bacteria you need to break down the ammonia and nitrites are in the biofiliter, as well as substrate and decor, but the biofilter is the most important source.
It seems that your tank should be completely cycled after 8 months, but the parameters indicate you may be having a mini-cycle.
Tell me about the filter media change, could you explain this a little more for me?
you don't need to change your filter media. just rinse it in the tank water you've taken out when you do a water change. the only media i replace when i clean my filters is the filter floss.
your tank is most likely experiencing mini cycles because you are changing out your filter media, and in the process removing all your good bacteria.
IMO, this is the key to your problem. Then also, use after water changes not only a water conditioner to remove chlorine/chloramine; but also a bacterial additive as StressZyme for example.
"You change the filter media? Do you mean the carbon filter or the biofilter. The biofilter shouldn't be changed, just rinsed gently in the tank water removed during water changes." This was said by Melody and it is a very important thing to remember.
biofilter....? is that like those little white tube things??? in a mesh bag...one of my filters has a 3 seperate bag filter...carbon, sponge...and the white hard tube looking things...
i also change everything every 3 weeks....no wonder every time i change the filter stuff i have cloudy water....gheesh
biofilter....? is that like those little white tube things??? in a mesh bag...one of my filters has a 3 seperate bag filter...carbon, sponge...and the white hard tube looking things...
i also change everything every 3 weeks....no wonder every time i change the filter stuff i have cloudy water....gheesh
:lol: You are right! In your case you don't have to change the biofilter and neither the sponge. Just clean the sponge very well in the tank's water removed and use it for life or until it gets damaged.
Yes or at least every 4 weeks. Also you don't have to use carbon. Many friends here don't use it. I use a special carbon based media called ChemiPure; you can change it every 4 months.
