Dave, that is a concise and well-written article. Thanks for all of the great information. I understood the basics of cycling and each component, but that article really helped me understand why I spike nitrites and where I am in my cycle. Thanks!
Nitrites won't lower - help!
- Thread starter bobandfiona
- Start date
Well, I've pulled more fish, bringing the total down to 5 goldfish, and continued with 2gal water changes 4x a day. Feeding is on hold until further chemical notice. I forgot to mention all the goldfish were feeders, but really nice looking IMO. I added 1/8 tsp salt to ease the nitrite thing, and Nitrites are still about 1 ppm. Amquel, I still haven't tried yet, but will that affect the cycle time?
0.0ppm ammonia
1.0ppm nitrite
0.0ppm ammonia
1.0ppm nitrite
bobandfiona said:
According to that specific gravity measure, you have 5-6 teaspoons per gallon of salt (if you use reverse osmosis or distilled water otherwise look at my note below to calculate your salt content) in the tank which is relatively high but won't hurt your fish as long as you don't prolong it (3 months or so) that is why your fish are alive in the high nitrite environment you have. I kept my ammonia down by doing lots of waterchanges until my biofilter kicked in again. Now my biofilter takes care of everything :dance:
Note: Use the hydrometer to test your tapwater after it has sat for about an hour or so. Subtract that result from your tank result to get a more accurate interpretation of salt content in your water. For example if you tapwater tests at 1.001 specific gravity and your tank water is 1.005 then you have 4 teaspoons per gallon of salt in your water.
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kmail, amquel will not affect your environment in your tank aside from lowering ammonia. It is completely non-harmful to biological life.
On my topic, I did another 60% water change last night - lost the red flame gourami this morning. Sad day. Water now testing out at amm .15, NO2, .25, NO3 .20...better definitely. I will continue monitoring. Thanks all for all of the help.
Rrkss, if you are still following this thread, what therapeutic level should I be keeping my tank at in salinity with every water change? (Or do I just add salt in the face of disease or odd behavior?)
Thanks all for your help and posts.
On my topic, I did another 60% water change last night - lost the red flame gourami this morning. Sad day. Water now testing out at amm .15, NO2, .25, NO3 .20...better definitely. I will continue monitoring. Thanks all for all of the help.
Rrkss, if you are still following this thread, what therapeutic level should I be keeping my tank at in salinity with every water change? (Or do I just add salt in the face of disease or odd behavior?)
Thanks all for your help and posts.
I'm not rrkss, but essentially there is no need of chronic salt use in a freshwater tank. additionally it stands to harm a lot long term when you do use it. So short term medicinal use with specified reasons is the best route. Otherwise no salt should be added.
If you get bored run a search on salt and you'll get to see lots of heated arguments about it's chronic use.
Dave
I agree with david, salt should only be used when you have a reason to use it such as high nitrites or some sort of injury/disease. I keep my tank's salt content at 0 when all is well. Long term use of salt could make any parasites introduced resistant which is not what you want to happen.
