Nitrite readings with zero ammonia?

[thedogzoo]

Does anyone know how this happens or what it means? My nitrite level is 05ppm and ammonia is zero! I'm stumped.PH is 7.2, alkalinity is 80ppm, hardness is 75ppm and nitrates are 20ppm. I don't get it!

Also, how can I raise the alkalinity without raising the ph? My test kit says that it should be around 120-130ppm, ideally. But I don't really want to raise the ph, as I thought I should be keeping it neutral.

Thanks! J. :huh:

 

[mishi8]

How new is your tank?

 

[Slappy*McFish]

How old is the tank? It could just be nearing the end of the cycle. (Ammonia disappears but nitrites still remain and are steadily declining). Another possibility is the biofilter has been disrupted or overloaded causing a spike.
I wouldn't worry about your pH or KH, they're perfectly fine. Test your tap water...that's ideally what your tank water's params should look like.

 

[thedogzoo]

Hi everyone - The tank is 7 months old and cycled

Thanks!

 

[Genral72]

If your tank is 7 months old and cycled you should have no ammonia and no nitrites. How often do you do water changes? Also do add declohrinator before adding new water to the tank? Do you wash your filter media?

 

[thedogzoo]

Yep to all of that. I change the water and vacuum the gravel every week - rinse out the filter media at that time and I add the decholrinator every time I add water - It's very weird what's going on. Could the nitrite readings be caused by something I'm missing when I vacuum the gravel? I had wanted to replace the gravel completely because it appears to be disintegrating - little flecks everywhere - but I don't want to mes up my cycle. I've been told that most of the bacteria is in the filter and then told that most of the bacteria is in the gravel - so I don't know. Also, my water is VERY cloudy - whitish/gray cloudy. Man............I'm STUMPED! J.

 

[Genral72]

Ypur problem I think is that you wash your filter media. Unless you wash it in tank water then you are killing the bacteria everytime. DO NOT wash the filter in tap water or any undeclohrinated water. Other than that I don't know what is wrong. Unless you are adding the declorinator after you put the water in(you need to do it before). You should not be showing any signs of ammonia or nitrite at this point.

 

[vic21]

Tank cycle

The point about washing the media ONLY in tank water is really valid. Otherwise you are likely washing away a lot of the bugs and killing the rest with chlorine. Our water utility adds not only chlorine to our city water but also chloramine. Most of the declor products do NOT deal with chloramine. Have a look on the bottle and see whether the declor you are using does deal with chloramine. if not, I would suggest that you get yourself some stuff called "Prime". It does the chloramine thing.

 

[thedogzoo]

Thanks a bunch guys!!!!!!!!! J.