How can I get my Nitrite down ? Fish not acting normally.

[excuzzzeme]

I use a plant called hornwort in all of my tanks, it definitely make a difference with nitrate.


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He was talking Nitrite and not nitrate.


Do not add salt! You have a neon tetra and tetras cannot handle salt as well as other fish do. If you use it, you need to use 1/2 of regular dose.

Going back to the worm infestation, you say you do a water change. That's great but do you vacuum as well? Vacuuming will remove detritus and other wastes that will cause spikes in your water parameters. You need a device that is known as a python or python-like vacuum. (http://www.bigalspets.com/fish/maintenance- equipment/gravel-washer-large.html) Also known as a gravel cleaner.

 

[TwoTankAmin]

Its is actually chloride which helps inhibit the effects of nitrite by attaching to the receptors the nitrite would. One could use sodium chloride (salt) or calcium chloride with similar results. Most folks have salt available but would have to go hunting for calcium chloride. While a number of fw fish do not do well with salt, when they are being threatened with nitrite, salt is a much less harmful alternative. Since nitrite levels can be somewhat controlled via water changes while the nitrite oxidizing bacteria build back up, the salt should not be in the water for very long which minimizes any potential issues it might cause if present for a longer amount of time.

When dosing things like salt or Epsom Salt, the normal method is to use a series of smaller doses added to a tank over a day or two in order to minimize the change in tds they will cause. This also gives one time to observe the effect of each dose and if the fish react badly, the salt can easily be removed.

 

[GCL]

I would not clean your filter media for awhile. You want your beneficial bacteria to build up.
If you have another healthy and established tank, take the filter media from that and rinse it off lightly first to remove heavy dirt particles, and then rinse it out really well in the tank with the Nitrites. It will make the water cloudy, but that will all settle. Let it sit a few days and then you can vacuum.

I have read that Java moss is great for reducing Nitrites if you happen to have it to add to the tank.