should I be alarmed?

[Marcus Fenix]

last friday, I took some tests. the results were as follows:

ammonia: 0
nitrite: 3.3
nitrate: 110
phosphate: 0
ph: 8.3

today, again I took some test and the results are exactly the same. the nitrite and nitrate levels haven't moved at all.
nitrates will go down with a water change, but the nitrite levels haven't gone down yet. is it normal?

 

[dmjordan]

no, not normal. first you might want to have your water tested with another kit or at your lfs. is your kit old?

 

[Marcus Fenix]

no, not normal. first you might want to have your water tested with another kit or at your lfs. is your kit old?

new kits I bought a week ago. Nutrafin test kits.

I just find weird that the nitrites aren't coming down yet.

 

[dmjordan]

nitrites usually don't get that high. is your tank cycling or have you done anythiong to throw your tank into a new cycle?

 

[dmjordan]

are you heavily stocked or added a few new fish recently. as a tank cycles your tank bacteria populates. as this happens it converts your trites into nitrates which can be removed by water changes.

 

[Grins]

You're still cycling right? Have you done a water change during the cycle?

 

[Marcus Fenix]

yeppp, still cycling...ammonia dropped to zero middle of last week, but trites and trates have steadily gone up.
I was figuring that the trites might've gone down by now. (since last friday)

no, I haven't anything to the tank, no water changes...nothing. I left it alone to do it's thing.

 

[Grins]

Good, I'd let it be for now.

 

[dmjordan]

you might also want to check the tds of the water you use for your tank. if your tds is high and your topping of your tank with it you will get a steady rise or increase in trates.

 

[Marcus Fenix]

you might also want to check the tds of the water you use for your tank. if your tds is high and your topping of your tank with it you will get a steady rise or increase in trates.

I'll bring a water sample to the LFS and have em check it.

yeppp, I top water evaporation with tap water. I treat the water with Prime water conditioner, that's all.