Nitrite At 5!?

[girl4God81]

My fish were fine earlier, and although I haven't check the water in about a week, the nitrite has always been at zero. Now suddenly the water is cloudy and Nitrite at 5!!! I did a 50 percent water change (10 gallon tank) and added copper safe as I have been. The filter is out because of the copper safe, which shouldn't be affecting anything b/c it's been in the tank for about a week already, no problem. The only thing I really did different tonight was add a large toy to the tank. It's made for aquariums (apparently) and looks like old column, pretty common. It's pretty big and maybe that stuff was coming off? It had to have happened within the 3 or 4 hours it was in there..I've since removed it and did the 50% water change but it's still cloudy. The filter cartridge not being in probably doesn't help but I don't even have another one until i can get to the store tomorrow. I just added more copper safe, aquarium salt, and dechlorinator...would any of those mess up the nitrite reading that fast? I don't see why in the world it would.

Any advice will do, they seem to be panicking! And so is there mommy!

 

[*Fishkies*]

Did you wash the aquarium ornament off before you put it in the tank? Also are you using Copper Safe which is made by the Mardel company? If so if you read on the box on the side it says that you can leave your normal filtration running if the filter has been in your tank for at least 5 days. (By filter I mean the carbon cartridge).

 

[girl4God81]

Yes I washed it as well as I think I could and yes, I am using that brand of coppersafe...wish I would have seen that before. My cartridge has only been out for about a week, but I've had a fish die in there since. So I can put a new cartridge in there now and it won't stop the copper? I had a guy at the petstore today tell me to leave it out....hmm..

Do you think maybe it's the toy, I didn't notice any cloudyness until awhile after I added it.

I think I need to add a little more aquarium salt and lower water down so the filter can add more oxygen. I just don't get it, I've been doing more water cahnges, about 20-30 percent twice a week. I'll start doing them daily until it clears up unless anyone knows otherwise.

Thanks so much for the advice!

 

[*Fishkies*]

No not a new cartridge, a new on will most definatly take the copper safe out. The cartridge needs to be at least 5 days old and have had been in the tank with the fish.

Yeah I too thought that it was odd to be able to leave the cartridge in. However I had a problem with a goldifsh that I used coppersafe on and left the cartridge in and it cleared the fishes problems up just fine. But it cannot be a brand new filter, this will take the coppersafe out.

Is the "toy" made for aquariums, the way you describe it, does it look something like this in the following LINK ?

You've got it right by doing water changes though! So good job there! Hope your tank clears up and all your fish turn out to be okay!!

Also make sure your not over feeding your fish. This may also be a result.

Best of Luck!!

 

[girl4God81]

Yes! That is the exact toy except mine is about 3 times larger. The weird thing though is that I have that one in there too and it never had a problem..but this one is much larger and taller...and hollow on the bottom so maybe it had stuff in it that I didn't rinse as well as I though, not sure.

The water was still cloudy this morning and I couldn't find my 3 little girl bettas, although they could have been hiding and I was running late for work so I didn't get to look more.

So I will buy another caratridge today and let it hang down into the water for 5 days, and that's ok? Any ideas as to what to do in the meantime?

Also, I saved the old cartridge but since it's been out of the water for over a week is it ok to put back in? I think I read somewhere not to do that, once it's been out for awhile.

I may be overfeeding them, but they do gobble up everything I give them (so it seems, b/c I sit there and watch them) and I feed them every other day because my mollies go around and eat everything up off the bottom.

I will sound like a horrible mommy here...but I bought a sick platy and put in in with the rest (think he had swim bladder)..this was before I knew much about them (ashamed to say) and he died but I didn't notice until the next day b/c he was hidden under something. So, with him being dead in there I am assuming that could have also raised the nitrite a lot.

Sorry this is so long, I just really worry about th little guys! I feel so bad I let it get this way, somehow. Thank you so much for the replies!

 

[*Fishkies*]

So I will buy another caratridge today and let it hang down into the water for 5 days, and that's ok? Any ideas as to what to do in the meantime?

I wouldn't suggest doing that. However since you wrote that you still have your old one...Just run water through sink water through it to get it wet and going again. (I have done that before after a filter has been out for a week or more and it still works fine). I mean I'm not an expert on that, but I have never had anything bad result as in using a filter that has been dry for a week.

I will sound like a horrible mommy here...but I bought a sick platy and put in in with the rest (think he had swim bladder)..this was before I knew much about them (ashamed to say) and he died but I didn't notice until the next day b/c he was hidden under something. So, with him being dead in there I am assuming that could have also raised the nitrite a lot.

This may be a contributor actually. But it's okay we all make mistakes, but next time when you want to buy a sick fish or rescue one, i'd suggest isolating him to treat him. It's the best for all your other fishies too and then there's less stress on you worrying about you fish you already have dying.

I may be overfeeding them, but they do gobble up everything I give them (so it seems, b/c I sit there and watch them) and I feed them every other day because my mollies go around and eat everything up off the bottom.

Okay your doing a good job there, with watching them eat !!

Best of Luck

** Keep up the water changes. It's the best way to fix it!**

 

[heatmisr]

Another solution to the filter problem is to remove the carbon from the filter. That way you will still have the benefit of the filter and do not have to be concerned with the carbon removing the meds.

 

[bymauldin]

Another solution to the filter problem is to remove the carbon from the filter. That way you will still have the benefit of the filter and do not have to be concerned with the carbon removing the meds.

That's a FANTASTIC idea Heatmisr!

 

[*Fishkies*]

QUOTE(heatmisr @ Mar 16 2007, 02:06 PM)
Another solution to the filter problem is to remove the carbon from the filter. That way you will still have the benefit of the filter and do not have to be concerned with the carbon removing the meds.



That's a FANTASTIC idea Heatmisr!

One problem! If it's one of those ready-to-use filters, you can't exactly do it that easily. Nice thought though actually!

 

[girl4God81]

Thank you so much for all the advice, I'm VERY much appreciative. It actually is one of those prefixed filters, and it's now back in. The nitrit is still horrible, and I am going to vacuum it out tomorrow. I haven't even had this tank for a month, so i don't see why it would need it too much but I am buying a vac tomorrow and will vacuum it tomorrow night. The water is no longer cloudyand despite the 50% water change, the nitrite is still horrible, and the salt hasn't helped. Should I add even more? I don't want to add too much of course. What else can I do to lower the nitrite, because it's STILL at about 5!

 

[*Fishkies*]

I wouldn't add to much salt. Adding more can sometimes make other things worse.

However doing a vaccum will hopefully help out. Also if you really don't notice anything wrong with your fish, I wouldn't mess with them to much more. It seems like they've been through a lot lately and I mean if their acting fine, I wouldn't worry so much.

 

[girl4God81]

Ok thanks so much! Going to get the Python today.

 

[girl4God81]

I did another 40% water change yesterday and the nitrite went way down to .25 YAY!!! I'll continue doing the water changes, thanks so much!

 

[girl4God81]

**Update**

Nitrite is way down..it's a .25 now, woohoo! Thanks so much for all the advice, I never thought it would go backdown, and certainly not that easily! Hopefully tonight it will be back down to 0.

 

[*Fishkies*]

YAY!! You've succeeded! So glad to hear the problem is being resolved finally!

Celebrate!