High Nitirites

[Philbe]

Hi all, I have had my 30gal tank set up for 8 weeks. After first 10 days and 0 ammonia and nitrites I added 3 pastel tetras, 1 week later and still 00 we added 3 cherry barbs, one week later still 00 added 2 otto cats and 3 lylretail mollies. One week later 2 of the lyretails are dead and the nitrites are through the roof. Problem is they are still very high. I have done nothing to the tank except add a little aquarium salt and stir up the bottom a bit. All the fiish are fine and show no signs of distress, but I want to add more fish and with the nitirtes that high I fear new fishies would be gonners. What can I do to get the nitires to a lower level. The tank has an eclipse hood with bio wheel.

Thanks.

 

[SnakeIce]

ok during those first ten days unless you were adding amonia your cycle wasn't happening.

the cycle we talk about is just developing an equilibrium of bacteria that break waste products down. it starts with amonia or fish poo and the bacteria that break that down. those bacteria make nitrIte, then there is another type of bacteria that deals with that and they make nitrAte... so now that you have fish in the tank do enought water change to lower the nitrite so it doesn't hurt the fish as bad but still leave some so the bacteria can develop to deal with it

 

[Philbe]

Thanks Snake, so are talking as much as 50% or is a few 25% PWC better. Is adding a little aquarium salt not a bad idea? I have read thats its good for the molly.


Thanks

 

[SnakeIce]

I don't know what level you mean by through the roof or very high but try a 25% and if that doesn't lower it enough for the moment change some more... another way to decide how much to change is decide what level you are willing to live with untill the cycle gets finished and they go away on thier own, and figure from there

for example
say you want 10 max and it is at 15 then you change enough to remove 5 which is 1/3 of the total in the tank... so you change 1/3 of the water

I wouldn't change more than 50% in 24 hours though

yes mollies can stand a bit of salt and in some cases do better, but you have to take into account whether that salt is harming your other fish more than it is helping your mollies... I understand that corydoris species cannot tolerate any salt

 

[Philbe]

I use the Hagen nitirte tester and by through the roof I mean that the color in my test tube turns a color ranging from fushia to purple. Its kind of hard to pin point the actual ppm of nitrites with that scale. Lets just say its not 0.
I will try the water changes a little at a time and add a little salt just in case. Advise a substrate vacuum as well?

 

[ewok]

keep with the salt. it helps with the nitrites. nitrite poisoning makes the blood not absorb oxygen or something like that, salt helps to alleviate that.

keep doing water changes.

gravel vac would be good.

cycle should be almost over.

 

[Philbe]

Yippee, my nitrites are finally all but a trace. Everyone in the tank seems happy so we got some mates to hang out with. A few more silver tetras and a fancy tail guppy (for the young lad). Now my question is about the guppy. Do they need a bit of time to get used to things. I read that they are very hardy and can deal with most water types.
I have o ammonia and ph is about 7-7.5.
He seems to prefer resting on the bottom to swimming about.
Now I can't wait to bet my 55 or 75gal cichlid tank.