Flaming Nitrite *grrrrrrrrrr*

[minxfishy]

Set up new tank Saturday, transferred all the established media from the existing filter directly into the new filter and immediately added the same bio load of fish. Two days later I had a slight trace <0.25 but not 0 of nitrIte. Did a 50% water change, now today, tested again nitrIte is 0.25. The ammonia has stayed consistently 0. So why is my nitrIte rising? I cant see how I would have lost any N-bacs in the change over, the media was trf in some tank water directly to the new filter.

Currently doing anther 50% w/c and have taken a full mature sponge from another tank and added it to the new filter to try and sort this out.

Never had this happen before, Ive dechlored the water, not added anymore fish, could it really be the larger amount of water the media is trying to process? I didnt think the water volume would effect the medias capacity to process the waste.

 

[rabbut]

If the filter's weren't copeing with the volume, Ammonia would be high, not Nitrite. Nitrite oxidising bacteria are mose sencitive than Ammonia oxidising ones though, so something has probibly upset the media, and it's only notably affected the NOB's due to them being more sencitive. What affected them? Good question, pass

You are doing the correct remedial action however, keep it up

All the best
Rabbut

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Yeaha gree with the above, media transfers seem to only be completely sucessful something like 80/90% of the time, they do go belly up for no reason occasionally so don't panic that you've done something wrong.

more media and water changes should get it back on track.

 

[JustKia]

If the new filter is bigger, has a greater flow rate than the old filter it may just have flushed some of the bacs through (kind of like if you swished your media out too well in tank water).
This has probably put you into a mini cycle, but your doing the right stuff so hopefully you'll be sorted in a day or so.

Oh daft question but did you wash out the inside of the tank before filling it? Is there any chance there could have been some residue, either from manufacture (if you didn't rinse it) or from rinsing it (if you did) that could have had an effect on the bacs?

 

[Straydum]

JustKia makes sense there. nitrate could be saturated in your substrate and all too

 

[minxfishy]

I did rinse the tank well in hot water and used a clean (never before used) cloth to wipe it down, the substrate was thoroughly washed too, although it did still take a day or two to go completely clear and the filter floss was absolutely minging, so Ive completely cleaned that thru.

The new filter is much bigger, its the juwel internal for the 400, whereas the fiter I was using was only suitable for up to 200L, so maybe the flow is pushing the water thru quicker and not catching the old media well enough, hopefully this other sponge for another juwel tank (albeit smaller) will help

Thanks guys

 

[minxfishy]

NitrIte still rising, I dont understand this, there is more than enough mature media to cope, is there any chance that TPN+ could be effecting the bacteria, I know it shouldnt but its the only thing different Im doing with this tank than any of my other tanks??

So far fish look uneffected, this is really frustrating, yesterday was still 0 nitrIte, so I thought great, its levelling out, today its back up to 0.25ppm, clearing Ive done something wrong, but no idea what.

 

[JustKia]

I don't believe you have done anything wrong at all.
I think this is just one of those annoying blips.
I would expect to see nitrites rather than ammonia because the N-bacs are (so I understand) more sensitive to change (could be something as simple as the new decor, or temperature difference, etc). Then 1ppm of ammonia converts into 2.7ppm nitrite, so you're going to have to have a bigger colony of the N-bacs.
As MissW says, seems to be that these media transfers only work "most" of the time, not all of the time.

I know the substrate isn't the main habitat of the good bacs but it is possible that you had some in there that were helping out.
The decor - is it genuine bogwood or is it mopani? Could this have affected the bacs?
Is the planting level different? If you had more/different plants in the old tank they could have been playing a part in your nitrogen cycle, that the N-bacs are now having to deal with instead.

Honestly, I think you did everything right, so don't let this get to you =)

 

[minxfishy]

Thanks hon

Its completely new substrate so yeah could have played a part and planted whereas minimal live plants before so I know they could be using up excess ammonia, which could have led to the n-bacs dying back a bit.

The wood is redmoor wood, which I havent used before, so maybe its effecting the bacteria but its not supposed to and was fully cleaned and scrubbed for a good long while before putting it in the tank, but you never know.

Its not a huge spike, its just rising up to 0.25 over 48 hours, mind you if I didnt w/c it would definately get higher but with all the fish I cant allow that to happen, its just really frustrating, never had this happen with a clone before, so its come as a bit of suprise. Not something I like in my fishkeeping!

 

[minxfishy]

Ha! Just turned on the tank lights today to discover my cories have spawned all over the glass and my Trifasciata rainbows spawning all over the place! Clearly this isnt bothering them too much, maybe its all the water changes

 

[Truck]

you lucky so and so, im still waiting for my cories to spawn,

*truck goes to do a water change*

 

[minxfishy]

Over the past week since setting up the tank, Ive done two 50% changes, plus they had completely new water when introduced to the tank on Saturday as I dont use any exisiting tank water. Seems to work well, not sure the nitrIte is helping much though.


Just watching my Severum, waltz around eating all the eggs off the glass, he thinks its Xmas. Poor cories, all that effort, mind you I dont which ones did it, they never seem to do it when Im watching, if I knew which group it was, Id take them out and give them their own place so as to actually get some fry, as it is, they stand no chance with all the other fish about