Roan Art said:
Is there a possibility of too much ammonia being consumed by the plants, and the nitrite-eating bacteria is being affected? Just wondering.
Water changes not lowering nitrites?
- Thread starter NotGumbel
- Start date
Is there a possibility of too much ammonia being consumed by the plants, and the nitrite-eating bacteria is being affected? Just wondering.
OrionGirl said:
I was under the impression that during the cycling process you get cloudy water due to a bacterial bloom in the water column and that they end up in your filter and gravel because they can grab on to those surfaces. I am not saying not to do large water changes, especially in a tank with inhabitants obvously try to keep the parameters in check. Just wondering if that might be why things were taking there time getting back to norm.
Possible culprit for nitrite issues?
Sorry to bump my own thread. I'm trying to find whatever I can to solve the nitrite probs.
It was suggested that the questionable "slime coat" enhancing in AquaSafe have been causing nitrites to stay high in my re-cycling tank.
I've been using these as ferts in the 45g tank (the one which is undergoing the cycle): Jungle Labs Plant Care Tabs.
Just now I looked at the box (which varies from the photo BTW). It's now called Plant Care Solutions: Water Conditioning Fizz Tabs Plus Trace Elements. And in the finer print ... "With Allantoin - a Natural Healing Protectant."
I can't determine how the timing of adding the tabs fell in regard to the nitrite issues. But could this be the cause?
If so, how to get it out of the water?
Sorry if this isn't on the right track, or contains one or more dumb questions/assumptions. I just want to do the right thing.
Sorry to bump my own thread. I'm trying to find whatever I can to solve the nitrite probs.
It was suggested that the questionable "slime coat" enhancing in AquaSafe have been causing nitrites to stay high in my re-cycling tank.
I've been using these as ferts in the 45g tank (the one which is undergoing the cycle): Jungle Labs Plant Care Tabs.
Just now I looked at the box (which varies from the photo BTW). It's now called Plant Care Solutions: Water Conditioning Fizz Tabs Plus Trace Elements. And in the finer print ... "With Allantoin - a Natural Healing Protectant."
I can't determine how the timing of adding the tabs fell in regard to the nitrite issues. But could this be the cause?
If so, how to get it out of the water?
Sorry if this isn't on the right track, or contains one or more dumb questions/assumptions. I just want to do the right thing.
Sorry I don't have a solution, but interesting reading. You brought up a good point with the plant tabs, I'd stop using them for a week or so to see if it has an effect. Why not, you've tried everything else 
I agree with ghinksmom. Can't hurt.
Sorry I haven't been replying -- this place has gotten really busy of late and with all the tanks at home and everything else, my time is getting spread real thin.
Roan
Sorry I haven't been replying -- this place has gotten really busy of late and with all the tanks at home and everything else, my time is getting spread real thin.
Roan
Ok I'm not a pro here but this might help...
I had a similar problem trying to get my Terrarium water to cycle so i could add snails...
3 months and I still had 5ppm Nitrite! I put in some Purigen and it absorbed a boatload of amonia (turned /12 yellow in 2 weeks) (it said something like enough for 100 or 200 glallon and I only have about 2.5 gallons of water in there) Then all my readings 0-ed out.
If you can slow down the amonia you can inhibit the Nitrite production some, since the bacteria that turn Nitrite into nitrate generate slower than those that turn Amonia into Nitrite.
I' not pro but it worked for me, I don't think my filter was EVER going to produce enough bacteria on it's own, and it has a HUGE sponge since it is the zoomeds for turtles (no I don't have turtles just some toads and newts)
..........Maybe add some Bio Spira too, I know adding a sponge from my Amphibians Terrarium to any other tank going through a cycle has cycled the tank in less than 3 days!
I had a similar problem trying to get my Terrarium water to cycle so i could add snails...
3 months and I still had 5ppm Nitrite! I put in some Purigen and it absorbed a boatload of amonia (turned /12 yellow in 2 weeks) (it said something like enough for 100 or 200 glallon and I only have about 2.5 gallons of water in there) Then all my readings 0-ed out.
If you can slow down the amonia you can inhibit the Nitrite production some, since the bacteria that turn Nitrite into nitrate generate slower than those that turn Amonia into Nitrite.
I' not pro but it worked for me, I don't think my filter was EVER going to produce enough bacteria on it's own, and it has a HUGE sponge since it is the zoomeds for turtles (no I don't have turtles just some toads and newts)
..........Maybe add some Bio Spira too, I know adding a sponge from my Amphibians Terrarium to any other tank going through a cycle has cycled the tank in less than 3 days!
Roan Art said:
If more of your time has been spent with family and your own tanks than on here, I'd say it was spread just about right :hi:
justintoxicated said:
You mention all your readings 0-ed out. Does that mean you had ammonia reading over 0.0 prior to adding the Purigen, as well as the 5.0 nitrites? (I currently have 0.0 ammonia readings; that's been at zero for weeks)
I thought that using Purigen etc would solve a symptom (ammonia/nitrite level) but not fix any underlying problems (in this case, that the tank had not cycled properly)?
justintoxicated said:
Would Bio Spira interrupt a cycling tank? Not that I have access to any of it around here anyways ... sometimes I feel like I have to go towards town just to get to the boondocks.
