Nitrite shocker...am I doing the right thing?

speede1

speede1

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Feb 28, 2006
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Washtenaw County, Michigan
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Learing so much already...just this thread alone!

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I too am a newbie to the boards and to owning my new 10g.

I think I rushed into stocking the tank as it has been just over 30days and I have:

a pair of guppies
a pair of twin bar platys
3 rummy nose tetras
a quarter sized marbled angel
a small kuli loach
and a small albino cory cat

grand total: 10 fish in the first two weeks and for two weeks I have had no problems... I was told if the PH was kept at or slightly below 7.0-6.8 that Ammonia would not be an issue and to just buy a kit and check the Nitrites....

In 30 days I have cleaned the tank 2X changing 25-30%
kept the PH in the desired range and had no issues with nitrite...
UNTIL TODAY! it was deep purple and off the chart...i freaked out and can't even FIND the chart now! anyway..I changed 50% of the water and it is now a violet color which since I can't find the chart I don't know exactally what PPM that is, but I know it is a step in the right direction... I had to throw a half a tab of "tank buddies" ICK stuff in as my female guppy and platy show a tenny tiny amount of ICK on them.... I had the tank treated two weeks ago too as one of the rummy-nosed tetras showed signs too...

After reading many of the new "READ THIS FIRST" posts and a previous post about "High Nitrite leves...need help" (thanks to all) I plan to do another 50% in 12 hours and recheck

Is another water change ok since I am trying to treat for ICK? I only administered half a fizzy tab as I understand the loach will not tolerate the full strenght treatment (right?)

BTW: I bought a small clump of moss (which came with a snail) and I now know I should not have been rinsing the fake plants and larger rocks with tap water...I had an alge bloom about two weeks ago....

Is this going to become a huge mess or am I ok to just keep up the 50% H2O changes every 12 hours?

and you guys are not talking about iodized table salt are you with regard to assisting in high nitrite levels?
 
well......the ich treament will not work that well..
turn up the temp, and add some aquarium salt.

also....yes.....do water changes to get rid of nitrite. Since you will be using salt.....just replace whatever salt you took out in the water change.

i hope this helps.....and someone correct me if i am wrong
 
people have said you don't have to specifically use aquarium salt and that table salt will work fine in the doses used for treating ich.

if you're using the same nitrite test I am (and it sounds like it) the kind of washed out violet is 0.25ppm, and the deeper the color gets the more nitrites you have. 0ppm is a light blue color. The tests i am using is the aquarium pharmaceuticals test tube kit.

as an FYI, I think there is a sticky in the products and DIY forum where people have taken pictures of their test charts so if yours is missing you might find the right one in there to use in the meantime.
 
Wow! That's a lot of fish for a 10 gallon. You've stocked too quickly for a fishy cycle, plus are overstocked. As well, the angel needs a bigger tank.

I'm really surprised you haven't had issues until now. But not surprised that your nitrites have gone so high. Keep changing water to get those nitrites to 0.25 or less, and then keep changing water to keep them there.

Check out this article on treating ich: http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39759
 
Well I have changed 3 of the 10 gallons again this morning...(the original post I repasted from last night as I was asked to start a new thread) so it had been over 12 hours. The violet color is up from dark voilet to medium violet.. YEA!!!

I am concerned about the kuli loach.... isn't the salt bad for him, and just how much salt is best/gal? The jungle tab won't work? It seemed to clear it up the last time :huh:
 
Thanks for the imput...I spoke too soon though as the nitrite level is still skyrocketed...I will keep doing the H2O changes every 12 hours and want to still know if the 83 degrees is adequate for the ick treatment? Can I just still use the jungle tab at 1/2 tab per water change? That would equate to 1 full tab per 24 hours...it doesn't accumulate in the water I was told at the store...true? still wondering about the table salt (how much? Kuli
loach safe?)...isn't there salt in the fizzy tab too?
 
mishi8 said:
Wow! That's a lot of fish for a 10 gallon. You've stocked too quickly for a fishy cycle, plus are overstocked. As well, the angel needs a bigger tank.

I'm really surprised you haven't had issues until now. But not surprised that your nitrites have gone so high. Keep changing water to get those nitrites to 0.25 or less, and then keep changing water to keep them there.

Check out this article on treating ich: http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39759
Click to expand...


Missed this post while I was typing...thanks!
 
speede1 said:
a pair of guppies
a pair of twin bar platys
3 rummy nose tetras
a quarter sized marbled angel
a small kuli loach
and a small albino cory cat
Click to expand...


guppies are fine, platies are fine.

rummynose tetras are schooling fish and should be kept in groups of 6 or more
angels get far too big for a 10g and very agressive and will eat most of your other fish
kuhli loaches are group fish and should be kept in groups of 3 or more
cories are group/schooling fish and should be kept in groups of 5 or more.
 
LunchBox said:
well, if you take a look at the thread mishi8 linked to, you'll see they reccommend 1-3 teaspoons per gallon for ich. It would be good to read that whole thread since it's very educational :)

I'll see if I can find that thread with the test result charts.
here it is:
http://www.aquariacentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=62715
Click to expand...


found it thanks. I see where I am still off the chart even after this mornings change....likely will be changing water every 12 hours for a week or two! I will stay on top of it...good thing I am only working 2 nights day a week right now!

Time soon for the bigger tank I wanted to begin with... I have a small fry tank waiting for a maternity patient... I think I should start it up and cycle it without fish and start looking for a nice 29 gal to move the angel, tetras and kuli loach too...
 
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