Nitite Spike

[CheniseMummy]

Hi

Things have been fine in my 90L tank with my new fish untill today, i have had them in for 1 week and 4 days, 6 harlequins and 1 bn plec.

Ive had 0 or trace readings for ammonia and nitite every day and ive been doing twice daily taking out 2 or 3 buckets of water. My bucket hold 12liters. Been replacing with treated tap water with stress coat.

This morning i had trace reading of Ammonia and 0.8 maybe higher of Nitrite im using nutrafin test kit.

Since then ive done 3 large water changes taking out 48Litres each time but when testing an hour later i cant get the nitite lower than 0.3. How many water changes can i do in one day will it harm my bac in anyway to keep doing them.

My tank was cycled with 3 danios which were returned to lfs after adding the new fish.

Both fishes do not show any forms of problems atm but i do know that high levals are toxic which is why im doing lots water changes.

Also i took my filter media and put it into my new fluval 3+ earlier today during a water change i was really carefull and kept the media constantly wet and did change over in my bucket of tank water. I added it all plus one of the new media. the other filter i had was rubbish so im hoping this will be better off for the bac to grow.

Thanks

 

[drobbyb]

You need to do larger water changes. Drain 75% or more before refilling with conditioned temperature matched water. Wait an hour and test again.

 

[PJPJ]

Rather than take the risk of harming your livestock with ammonia or worse, nitrite, why not purchase some Seachem Prime water conditioner. 'Prime may be used during tank cycling to alleviate ammonia/nitrite toxicity''Prime detoxifies nitrite and nitrate, allowing the filter to more efficiently remove them'

http/www.seachem.com/Products/product_pages/Prime.html

I am sure there will be other brands but if I ever get a mini-cycle occurring, I am convinced Prime has prevented long term damage to my livestock.

After testing (Also after changing out a partial amount of water) I get no reading of ammonia or nitrite.

Just remember the Prime will not work forever and you still need to do water changes etc. to get things under control and you need to continue to test frequently.

It may not appear to be harming your livestock at the moment but you can be sure the long term effects are not good.

Regards

PJPJ

 

[drobbyb]

Or just do water changes and get rid of the nitrite. Prime used in this manner is good if you are not able to do water changes though.

 

[OldMan47]

DrobbyB has the right spin on products like Prime when it comes to chemical controls PJPJ. If you are about to leave for work and just don't have time for a water change, it can carry you until you get home and do that change but it is no substitute for a decent water change. It is a nice dechlorinator so it can help you with the water change but don't try to use it in place of one.

 

[PJPJ]

DrobbyB has the right spin on products like Prime when it comes to chemical controls PJPJ. If you are about to leave for work and just don't have time for a water change, it can carry you until you get home and do that change but it is no substitute for a decent water change. It is a nice dechlorinator so it can help you with the water change but don't try to use it in place of one.

Did you read my post?

Just remember the Prime will not work forever and you still need to do water changes etc. to get things under control and you need to continue to test frequently.

 

[drobbyb]

Yes I read your post. Like I said, water changes are the primary method of removing nitrites. Prime is a good backup plan, but it shouldn't be relied upon to save your fish. The way you worded your post made it sound like it should be your first course of action. I was simply stating that it shouldn't be.

 

[PJPJ]

Yes I read your post. Like I said, water changes are the primary method of removing nitrites. Prime is a good backup plan, but it shouldn't be relied upon to save your fish. The way you worded your post made it sound like it should be your first course of action. I was simply stating that it shouldn't be.

The question wasn't directed at you, I know that is all you were saying and was fine with that, but anyway, at no point did I say it should be the first and/ or only point of action, but simply pointing out that there are products out there that help, especially when faced with mini-cycles and can be used as a standard de-chlorinator.

Don't forget that as soon as you have completed a water change, the toxins are building up again. Prime, so long as the toxins aren't climbing too high too fast, will continue to detoxify for a short period of time, therefore, hopefully not subjecting your livestock to as much/ any toxins till your next water change. I certainly do not condone using Prime as a substitute to water changes only as a supplement.

There is no real way of knowing, in our situation at least, how much if any effect short term low level toxins have on livestock, in my opinion Prime reduces the risk of long term harm to your livestock. Even if I can reduce the short term discomfort, which is clearly visible with inverts, by using Prime, I will.

If someone can be helped, and it benefits the livestock, I will offer sound advice, as clearly as can be stated. But it really gets my goat, and this is very prevalent on fish forums when somebody takes the time to preach to you something that is already clearly stated.

I shall not be replying to this thread again, I can't be bothered with pettiness.

So long as the OP is clear on what is best for him and his livestock, that is all that matters and apologies to all that were confused by my reply/ies.

Good luck OP

Regards

PJPJ

 

[CheniseMummy]

Thanks very much for the reply about the prime as i did not know such stuff was available, i also was able to understand that i should not use this product as a substitute for water changes but to allow the fish an easier time in coping with high levals during this time.

I thought it was clear first time but also things can get taken in the wrong context by other people reading things in certain way.

Thanks for your help.

Steph

 

[CheniseMummy]

Just thought id add

9am A-trace, NItrite 0.8
water change 75% family arrived so didnt get chance to test again

8pm A-trace, Nititre 0.8
75% water change. A-0.3
40% water change, my bn plec is looking little skittish. Ive brought some prime from ebay so will start using that once its arrived, im using stress coat and adding the correct amount to each bucket of water im replacing 1ml-2ml per 12litre bucket.

 

[OldMan47]

Stress coat and Prime are quite comparable as dechlorinators go.

 

[drobbyb]

I shall not be replying to this thread again, I can't be bothered with pettiness.

You totally took what I said the wrong way... I wasn't attacking you but apparently you took it as that. This is a discussion forum, and in that spirit I thought we were having a discussion. Sorry if you took it the wrong way PJPJ, that wasn't my intention.

 

[CheniseMummy]

Ive had a ammonia spike of 4.9! yikes, not sure if the TN+ has affected the result but i did a 50% water change straight away and results whent down to 0.

Nitite is at 0.1. it was at 0.3 before water change.

 

[waterdrop]

One of the dangers of moving mature media into a new filter is that the simple act of the move will disturb the biofilm structures that the bacteria have constructed. For the most part these sticky structures are quite portable but scientists have been finding that the bacteria do create little microscopic structures (channels, tunnels and the like) that help more cells receive more water, oxygen and ammonia at a higher rate.

For the most part its a rare thing for mature media to be disturbed by a move (at least that's the feeling I get from reading and watching cases) but rarely it seems to bring on some mini-cycling and this may be the case here.

Treating this problem with large water changes and a good conditioner like Prime (like I'm sure CheniseMummy is doing) is in my opinion the correct approach and the sort of advice we've been passing on for years here in the beginners section. Its too bad PJPJ was feeling touchy with the multiple commentator style because I thought his comments were good and I also always like having comments and support from Robby (drobbyb) who has good experience and is a thoughtful commentator. PJPJ's comment even made me think a moment about the good idea of using a quick dose of Prime immediately after a high-toxin test result returns, even when one is about to siphon a lot of it out, just to potentially give the fish some immediate relieve even during the minutes it takes to get set up for the water change. Here in the beginner's section we often have 2 or 3 commentators repeat virtually the same advice. Hopefully this gives the OP slightly different perspectives and provide reassurance.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[CheniseMummy]

Stats of this morning Ammonia 0, Nitite 0.3 did 50% water change, My harlequins have begun doing a funny dance with each other over my ricca and have seen tiny eggs beging dropped from looking at there breeding habits it looks like they have spawnd.