New Tank With Seeded Filter - Still Got Nitrite?

[golfzzin]

Hi, i have recently upgraded my tank from a fluval edge to a rio 240, i transfered all my media and fish to the new tank once the water had become less cloudy

Now im testing im showing these results

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0.1 - 0.3
Nitrate - 10

Why would this be happening?, the filter media was transferred within 10 mins and all the water was treated

Thanks

 

[L_Plates]

Whats the readings on your tap water ?

 

[golfzzin]

I honestly don't know, i did check ages ago but can't remember

 

[L_Plates]

Its the only thing i can think off. Maybe worth a check mate.

 

[golfzzin]

Just checked my old threads where i tested the tap water and nitrites were zero then, will retest tommorow. They don't seem to have risen over the last few days and i have only done a few small water changes

 

[waterdrop]

Special substrates for plants can sometimes put ammonia, nitrites or nitrates into the water, or even a fairly plain gravel can sometimes do a very small amount of this for a short time. Other new objects in a new tank can also sometimes exhibit this behavior for a short period.

Also, sometimes just the act of moving mature media will disturb the bacteria and cause a "pause" in their full processing. This usually only happens for a day or two. I would just keep testing and watching it and of course the same old rule applies.. if you ever see ammonia or nitrite approach 0.25ppm for whatever reason then you must behave as if in a fish-in cycle and change water.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[Tizer]

What filter do you have on the new tank? the amount of media in a fluval edge is rather small isnt it?

Thats like moving from a council flat into your own mansion.

 

[golfzzin]

Special substrates for plants can sometimes put ammonia, nitrites or nitrates into the water, or even a fairly plain gravel can sometimes do a very small amount of this for a short time. Other new objects in a new tank can also sometimes exhibit this behavior for a short period.

Also, sometimes just the act of moving mature media will disturb the bacteria and cause a "pause" in their full processing. This usually only happens for a day or two. I would just keep testing and watching it and of course the same old rule applies.. if you ever see ammonia or nitrite approach 0.25ppm for whatever reason then you must behave as if in a fish-in cycle and change water.

~~waterdrop~~

Thanks bud, everything in the tank is all new apart from the fish and most of the filter media.

I will continue to monitor the level and continue changing the water where needed. I changed 50l yesterday and another 20l today. I hope i don't need to go to the extremes on 90% water changes as when first starting out (and making many mistakes) but if that what it comes down to i will.

Will continue to monitor and update

Thank you again for the help

What filter do you have on the new tank? the amount of media in a fluval edge is rather small isnt it?

Thats like moving from a council flat into your own mansion.

The filter is just the one that came with the tank, bioflow something i think

and yep, the amount of filter media taken from the edge is tiny compared to the new filter, but i have managed to fit it all in. The filter media, while small did a great job at keeping the levels just right in the edge, it must have been crammed with bacteria

 

[Tizer]

Im not wrong in thinking the Rio 240, is 240 litres am i? while the fluval is like, 20 or something

 

[waterdrop]

Yeah, I think you're right Tizer. An Edge would be like an innertube sitting on the deck of Rio jumbo ocean liner. WD

 

[L_Plates]

Juwel Bioflow compact h ?

 

[Tizer]

Its hardly a suprise that your filter media cant cope with such a huge change in volume If the bacteria are still healthy and there is a food source, they should grow but you are effectively going to have to cycle the tank and keep testing. If you have fish in it, then you are now in a fish in cycle so daily water changes could well be required now. ^^ You may get away with a quicker cycle as the bacteria are already established and they do grow fast. Gluck.

 

[BIG BAD BARRY]

In theory if you have the same fish stock then the waste produced through respiration and poo will be the same so the filter colony you have should be able to cope.
The difference is likely to have come from what the other folk have pointed out - the huge change in water volume. There maybe small ammounts of ammonia/nitrite in the water.

 

[golfzzin]

Its hardly a suprise that your filter media cant cope with such a huge change in volume If the bacteria are still healthy and there is a food source, they should grow but you are effectively going to have to cycle the tank and keep testing. If you have fish in it, then you are now in a fish in cycle so daily water changes could well be required now. ^^ You may get away with a quicker cycle as the bacteria are already established and they do grow fast. Gluck.

Ah, i thought i would be ok just seeding the new filter. I assumed that as the old filter could cope with the current stock then if i moved all the filter media it would continue to do so. I didnt think water volume would be an issue as the waste produced would still be the same..

Guess i still have a lot to learn

 

[golfzzin]

In theory if you have the same fish stock then the waste produced through respiration and poo will be the same so the filter colony you have should be able to cope.
The difference is likely to have come from what the other folk have pointed out - the huge change in water volume. There maybe small ammounts of ammonia/nitrite in the water.

I have just tested again and the test shows

Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0.1 or less, very light pink

The fish have been in since friday, since then i have done a 50l water change on Monday, a 20l water change yesterday and another 50l water change today. Now in the fluval edge when i first put fish in and experianced nitrites everyday for about 6 weeks i was changing 90% of the water daily, sometimes twice and the results for nitrite were always dark purple some 12hrs later.
Now i know in a larger tank it takes longer for this to happen, but am i in the same situation as i was when i first started? OR am i in a mini cycle?