Hello Another Newbi Needing Help

[blackbat]

well here it is I have 3 tanks at the moment, two have fish (I had given me with one of the tanks) in waiting to be transfered to new tank. I set it up about 3 weeks ago the filter is working fine and the water is clear as as glass all the tests are good except the nitrate which was about 5 and the nitrate was elevated too. the woman in the petshop suggested that I do a complete water change and clean the gravel and filter and refill with fresh water. My problem with this is it will completely break the bacteria cycle in the filter and i will have to wait even longer to transfer the fish. I have no clue as to where the nitrites have come from as there are no fish or plants in the tank, some new rocks that were rinsed carefully before putting them in and these were purchased from an aquarium shop so are suitable for the tank. She suggested it may have beensome cleaning sollution but the only way that could have got in was from the bucket that the gravel was cleaned in, but even then it could have only been trace amounts.
SO any suggestions on (A) what to do with the water and (B) how the nitrites have got there would be helpful.
These are the first fish I have had since I was 6 and well to be honest my memory isn't that good as this was 25 yrs ago lol
The fish are fine in the tanks they are in for the short term but I have had to split them up as the tank they come in was too small for them and they kept fighting.
Thank you for listening to my neurotic rambling
Kerry

 

[nocturne]

all the tests are good except the nitrate which was about 5 and the nitrate was elevated too.

I am guessing one of those should be nitrite. Nitrite is bad, nitrate is good. It sounds like you are cycling the tank, but you don't specifically mention that. Did you introduce any ammonia into the system to get the cycle started? Do you have fish in the tank to help with the cycle?

 

[blackbat]

all the tests are good except the nitrate which was about 5 and the nitrate was elevated too.

I am guessing one of those should be nitrite. Nitrite is bad, nitrate is good. It sounds like you are cycling the tank, but you don't specifically mention that. Did you introduce any ammonia into the system to get the cycle started? Do you have fish in the tank to help with the cycle?

It is a new filter and nothing was added it is a clearseal 700 mechanical and biological filter. Yes the nitrite is over 5 the woman in the lps said. the tank has a pump to and good oxygen levels, there are no fish in there as I wanted to check the water was okay for them first and it isn't. she said to do a complete water change before i put fish in has the nitrite will kill them. But I don't know if that is a good or bad thing to do, should I not be doing patial changes? or is there a chance that the water has got contaminated and will not reach 0 nitrite?
This is all very stressful
If i do a complete water change will I have to wait to wash the filter out in the water from the tank that has been treated with the new tank treatment as I have heard that chlorine kills the good bactiria?
Gosh I have even managed to make my head hurt lol

 

[nocturne]

Please read these articles.
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/cycling.php
http/www.cichlid-forum.com/articles/fishless_cycling.php

There might be something similar on this forum, but since I am new here I don't know where everything is yet.