I cycled my tank with bio spira two weeks ago.. After I did a 50% water change I tested the water. I have 0 ammonia, 2 nitrite, and 100 nitrate..What should I do..Should I get a better filter or should I wait until it goes down the nitrite and nitrate?
Please Help! High nitrite and nitrate levels but no ammonia in my water
- Thread starter watermelon
- Start date
Another 50% water change now will help knock those nitrites and nitrates down. What filter are you using? Some Prime will help too.
I am using an undergravel filter with power heads attached to the top. You thihnk, I should do another water change? I was wondering when I am showing no ammonia and showing nitrates, that means the tank is cycled right? I was thinking about getting an expensive undergravel filter which cost a bit more than the cheap one I am using now....Do you think that would help any?
100 nitrates? How often have you been changing the water and how much? Although you shouldn't change the water for at least 24-48 hours after adding Bio Spira, you do have to commence weekly water changes.
For a cycled tank: ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates ~20 ppm
Do you have plants?
Roan
For a cycled tank: ammonia 0, nitrites 0, nitrates ~20 ppm
Do you have plants?
Roan
Roan Art said:
Since the high nitrites, I been changing the water every 2 days..The ammonnia is still at 0 but the nitrites and nitrates are at the upper limit in the readings. Do you think my tank is cycled? Please help, I spent $300.00 on fish and that is what is in the tank right now..
If your nitrites are anything but 0 and your readings were never ammonia and nitrites 0, then no.
It might help if you tell us, step by step, how you cycled the tank with Bio Spira. For instance:
Day 1
1. Filled tank with water (how big is the tank?)
2. Added water conditioner (what kind? and how much?)
3. Added Bio Spira (what size package and how many?)
4. Added fish (what types of fish and how many?)
Day 2
1. Tested water (post readings)
2.
add so forth. . .
So we can see what has been going on.
In the meantime, add 1 tsp table salt (yes, table salt is fine) per gallon of water to your tank. Make sure you dissolve it thoroughly before you add it and add it SLOWLY. The salt will help detoxify the effects of the high nitrites.
You need to get both the nitrites AND the nitrates down ASAP. You didn't say how much water you are changing out, but start changing out at least 50%, which will dilute the nitrates and nitrites in half.
What test kit are you using and could the nitrites and nitrates tests be expired?
Roan
It might help if you tell us, step by step, how you cycled the tank with Bio Spira. For instance:
Day 1
1. Filled tank with water (how big is the tank?)
2. Added water conditioner (what kind? and how much?)
3. Added Bio Spira (what size package and how many?)
4. Added fish (what types of fish and how many?)
Day 2
1. Tested water (post readings)
2.
add so forth. . .
So we can see what has been going on.
In the meantime, add 1 tsp table salt (yes, table salt is fine) per gallon of water to your tank. Make sure you dissolve it thoroughly before you add it and add it SLOWLY. The salt will help detoxify the effects of the high nitrites.
You need to get both the nitrites AND the nitrates down ASAP. You didn't say how much water you are changing out, but start changing out at least 50%, which will dilute the nitrates and nitrites in half.
What test kit are you using and could the nitrites and nitrates tests be expired?
Roan
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I strongly urge another water change it should help your readings. if you're looking to buy another filter then go for a hangon outside filter. This will provide a little more mecanical and biological filtration. Also what are your tank specs. How many fish? The reason could be that your tank is not nearly cycled enough and the bioload could be too much too handle. :shark:
watermelon said:
Two weeks and you already have 100 nitrates. Please give a little more information about the tank. What is the size, what is your fishload, filtration, feeding habits. Is the tank planted? The maximum amount of nitrates allowed in public drinking water is 40 ppm. If you have a well, test your source water for nitrates. Something does not add up if this tank is only 2 weeks old.
If you are using test strips, please let us know that -- IME, the strips read very, very high when a chemical test on the very same water at the very same time will show much lower results. Near the end of my fishless cycle, I was reading nitrites of 4 and nitrates over 100 using the strips -- but thank goodness I was using the strips as only a backup to my chemical tests which read 0.25 nitrites and 20 nitrates. All of the suggestions given are completely valid regardless -- the water change (50%) will effectively cut your numbers in half -- but if you're using strips, you may want to run out and get the chem kit to save you some stress.
bubbles42151 said:
I have a 55 gallon with undergravel filter and powerheads...And today, I put in a fluval internal filter, the one that goes inside the water...I went by the inch per gallon rule, and I think I have about 65 inches of fish in a 55 gallon..I know, I kind of overstocked but I did not know it would turn out like this...
By the way, I followed the instructions on bio spira, and I added some inexpensive fishes in it to start off like the instructions on the back..
What can I do now?