New Tank With Seeded Filter - Still Got Nitrite?

[golfzzin]

tested again today and results were 0.1

so did a large water change of about 120l

just done another restest and the water was a very very faint pink

 

[golfzzin]

Retested again today and results show very very slight nitrite levels

Changed around 50l

Any ideas on whats happening? Im guessing there must be some bacteria in the filter as the nitrites are not rising

 

[OldMan47]

It is much as WD has said. You need to give your filter a chance to recover from being disturbed. Tizer's advice about the large change in water volume from one tank to the other is pointless as long as you did not change your stock levels. If you added fish because you had a bigger tank, then his observation would be quite appropriate. You only moved enough mature filter media to care for the fish that you had in that tiny tank. It will take the new tank quite some time to adjust to a higher stocking level. Meanwhile you know that the filter is already dealing with the ammonia and you are seeing very low nitrite levels. I would take a wait and see approach to the nitrites. As long as things stay well below the 0.25 ppm, I would simply measure them and go on. If you start seeing the higher nitrite values it is soon enough to start doing large water changes.

 

[Miles_hot]

When you seeded the filter did it all go in one place? If so could it be that there is a significant volumne of water which is passing through the filter which doesn't come into contact with the bacteria? My thinking here is that if there is a column of water passing through the filter and only 20% of it is actually passing over the bateria that could have an effect?
Miles

 

[golfzzin]

Thanks again guys, i really do appreaciate the input.

OldMan47 - i tested again last night and the reading was tiny, water was a faint shade of pink, so things are improving, unfortunatly i ran out of test fluid also last night, so an API kit is now on order and im expecting it tommorow.

Miles_hot - i put the seeded filter media in 3 different places throughout the new filter media, there is already room for more in there and i also removed the carbon to allow for increased room.

Thanks again

Matt