I am having some trouble with the nitrites

[Angel Lady]

I have had my tanks up and running without any problems at all. But for the past few days mabey three I have had a real high reading of nitrites in all of my tanks. I havent done not one thing different. They havent been any deaths yet. I have been changing the water daily. Since this has started. Around 30 percent of water changes in all of the tanks. I have 180 gallon 3- 55 gallon tanks 1- 30 gallon tank 2-20 gallon tanks 5 ten gallon tanks and each and every one of them has a nitrite reading of 2.0. Would anyone have any Ideal as to what would be causing this. Idont mind doing all of this work but I would like to have a ideal as to what is causing this so I fix it.

 

[skimpy]

Just a quick thought, could the nitrites be in you tap water, have you tested that?

 

[Wyld-Fyre]

You may not have altered your tank recently, but have you changed your filter in any way?

Once, I had changed my filter pads I would notice a jump in nitrite levels. This is because I'd removed a large amount of beneficial bacteria that were living on the filter padding.

 

[Angel Lady]

I have been robbing my gravels and stuff like that to jump start my two new tanks that could be what it is but I didnt take it from all of them that is what has me puzzled. I only took it from two tanks everyone of my tanks has the high nitrites.

 

[Wyld-Fyre]

So you did 'alter' your tanks?

This may explain why you may have high nitrites in the ones you've disturbed, and in the new tanks. As for the ones which you hadn't, could it be they already have high nitrites?

Anyhow, carry on as you are doing with the water changes, and it may help with reducing it.

 

[Cian McLiam]

You are de-chlorinating the water properly before changing it I assume! Could there have been an overnight power cut or something perhaps? What have you added to your tanks lately, any medications?

when you say yyou have been robbing gravel and 'stuff like that', what do you mean exactly?

 

[Angel Lady]

I have been taking a little gravel out of my tanks that have been running for a while. But after I done this I check the ammonia and nitrites and they all seem to be fine. I was trying to jump start the cycle a little by taking stuff from the other tanks. That is what I meant by robbing them. I check the tap water also thinking mabey that might be my problem but it read 0. So I am left without a answer again. the two that I took the gravel .

 

[Cian McLiam]

If they are putting chloramines into your local water, you may need to get a de-chlorinator that also removes ammonia as well as chlorine.

 

[Captain Canuck]

Maybe it is time to invest in a new nitrite test kit?

 

[Angel Lady]

No it isnt time to invest in a new kit I havent had this kit but three weeks. I took a sample of the water to the lfs to get them to test it and she is getting the same reading that I am. I thank all for all the advice that you have been giving me. I use a product called Beckett it is chloramine and chlorine I have been using this product ever since I have been keeping fish and it has done just fine.