NO2 spikeing

[IDCS97301]

so lemme just start out by saying hello, and that I am a complete noob to this aquarium thing. Santa brought my eldest (6) a 36gal aquarium. . .I got a few pointers from the "elves" at the pet shop, and I like to think of myself as scientifically competent and intuitive, but I shure would like, and could use a little help form you guys.

I have 9 little fish the biggest being 2 mollies about an inch and a half each, and sizing down from them to the other 7.

So my question. . .right.

I understand that water changes are necessary when the nitrate spikes? So I've done a couple whenever the nitrate reaches between .3-.8mg/L. . .I'd say around .5mg/L judging by the color of the test liquid.

Thing is, is that that is the second one in a week. So it may be that my kid is feeding when I'm not looking, or that those little fish are generating more that I thought they would. Whatever the case is not important, (I'll remain vigilant)but will excessive vaccuming adversely affect the establishment of the Nitrosomonas bacteria??

 

[rrkss]

Sounds about normal for a new tank. You are doing the right thing keeping the NO2 below 0.5 mg/L. Keep doing this. If you fish look stressed or hang out on the surface gasping, add 1 teaspoon per gallon of salt to the tank making sure that the salt is dissolved well before pouring it in to reduce the effects of the Nitrites. The mollies would actually like the salt in there. Just test daily and wait it out. Eventually the tank will stabilize and Nitrites will remain at 0.0. This does not eliminate the need for weekly waterchanges but that is another topic in itself. Welcome to the community.

 

[IDCS97301]

thanks rrkss:thm:, but don't fade on me now. . .please feel free to discuss any topic here I need all the help I can get!