Nitrite Levels Still 5

[Leeza]

After four changes my nitrite level is still more or less at 5
Nitrate levels at 40!

How can this be?

I've tested the osmoses water and it seems perfect ammonia 0 nitrite 0. Even my swimming pool water gives a good reading but my fish tank oh no! Is it still going through it's cycle? It's worse than a woman going through her cycle!!

The plants are turning a bit yellow as well from what I read it's either low iron and eloctrolytes or need some cleaning at the gravel, can this be part of my problem?

 

[rabbut]

OK, i'd say ntrite is almost definately what caursed the 11 deaths. Your pre-death symptoms are all consitant with poisoning, and your water stats confirm this. I would advise enough 50-75% waterchanges to bring the nitrite down BELOW 0.25. Any level above 0.25, for ammonia and nitrite, will prove faital, often within hours. Nitrate above 50ppm will caurse long-tearm damage, so ensure this does not raise above this value. Once the cycle is complete, you want to start doing 25% water changes each week, and work from there depending uppon your nitrate values. Untill the cycle completes, you need to run water tests twice dayly, water changing as nessisary. On waterchanges, you only need to add tap water conditioner OR declorinator. The other products you mentioned are generaly considered to be snake-skin oil. I have read elsewhere on the forum, that salt may caurse damage if used for prolonged periods of time, as it puts the internal organs of your fish under a great deal of additional load. The only exception is the mollies, which are technicaly brackish, but they adjust to life without salt better then the other fish adjust to it.
HTH clear things up
Rabbut

 

[Leeza]

Thank you, this helps a lot. It's back to water replacement, the menial work, then -anything to keep them alive! They look so active at the moment perhaps they haven't yet read my test results about the nitrite ect.

 

[Leeza]

HTH clear things up? isn't that chloor? Can I use normal tap water andjust add the chloor neutralizer?

 

[rdd1952]

As mentioned, I think high nitrite killed the fish. I would agree that water changes are what you need. I don't think I would go larger than 50% though. What is your current nitrite reading? If it's over .5 ppm, then do a 50% WC and continue to do them every 2 hours (if possible) until the nitrite (and ammonia) are unde .25 ppm. After that, do them daily as needed to keep them under .25ppm. And unless your tap water has some really nasty junk in it, it will be fine with dechlor added. Have you tested the tap water to see what the pH, ammonia, nitrite and nitrate readings are?

Another potential problem you have is your stock. Some of your fish aren't really compatibile. Mollies for instance, prefer brackish water (salt added) while most of the other fish prefer slightly acidic water. Also, tetras (bloodfins, cardinals, black widow) prefer to be in groups of at least 3 to 5. The angel and pleco will both eventually need a larger tank. and last but not least, tiger barbs are not good community fish. They are very aggressive and will harass even larger fish to death. Slow moving fish like the angel are especially at risk.

One last thing, depending on the sex and quantity of the mollies, guppies and platies, you could soon be overrun with fry. Females will have a batch of fry every 28 days.

 

[Leeza]

Thank you for your very informative comment, sorry I'm late at getting back to you it was way after midnight in South Africa. Yes like you said the tap water has already got a nitrite reading of 0,25 = nasty stuff.
We've got another tank ready because some of the guppies are pregnant like you said and I suspect a Mollie as well. I'll give head to your warning about the different fish species at the moment they are living in harmony. I'm going to check nitrite levels now, even after changing 40% the nitrite didn't come down, So I'll do it 2 hourly. THANK YOU!

 

[rabbut]

Yes like you said the tap water has already got a nitrite reading of 0,25 = nasty stuff.

Sorry about not getting back to you about your second post. RDD has already given a good answer to it, so I will leave it at that. In the UK, the water board has a leagal obligation to keep ammonia, nitrite and nitrate below cirtain levels. for ammonia and nitrite, I beleave these leavles are around the 0.1 ppm mark, as concerntrations higher have been shown to pose a risk to childern's (particularly youngh ones) health. Re-test your tap water to ensure there was no error on your test, and if the result is the same, make a complaint to the water board. You mendioned something about South Aftica, which is where I beleve you are baced, so there may not be a leagal requirement for water quality, as there is here in the uk, but it is still worth making a complaint.
HTH
rabbut

 

[Leeza]

I've edited my first post, instead of replying to it. ANyway My nitrite levels is still at 5 (after 4 water changes) in two days, even when I changed it 2hours apart. The nitrite and nitrate levels of the water I added were 0. Is the problem else where? Or do I simply keep on changing water and because of the new tank cycle the levels will slowly drop? My plants are turning a bit yellow, a pamphlet suggests it could be lack of iron and electrolytes or bottom needs cleaning/ something. Can this be part of the problem? My tank has only been operative for 10 days more or less. It's 1 in the morning in South Africa so I'll reply tomorrow. Thank you for all the wonderful and helpful tips.

 

[rdd1952]

I'm beginning to think you have a faulty test kit but you say the pool tests ok so that wouldn't make sense. How large are the WCs you're making. If you've been doing 50% WCs twice a day, then you may even need to up them to 75%. Since you have made so many water changes, the water should be fine as far as pH is concerned so a large one shouldn't be an issue.

 

[Leeza]

I'm going to do just that and I'll let you know thanks.

 

[Leeza]

The nitrite and nitrate is dropping. I've done a 45% change the first day waited until evening then took a test, it was almost the same then did a 25l change-the same. Next day I did a 30l change nothing. Did a 20L change again nothing. I bought something to get the nitrate down chucked it in and did a 20l change. At last some result. THank you you all. I've had nightmares about fishes every night.
Now I'll sleep. No South African tap water for me I'll stick with the osmosis even for the fishes. So this is the vicious cycle that all the clued up people talk about, now I can say been there-know that. I'll keep you informed because I want to let others know what really works.

 

[Leeza]

Finally success! I've been able to make 3 water changes and the nitrites and nitrite are dropping, this seems more effective than the medicine I bought. The tank wherein I didn't put medicine has dropped quicker than the other one, due to the fact that I changed more water in the little 10gallon tank. It would have worked sooner if I had time to do the water changes like others suggested.

 

[Leeza]

MY Nitrite and nitrate are FINALLY down. Why? I had time to follow your advice and do 3 water changes in one day. In South Africa the newspapers daily report on poison in the water. The current government does nothing about it, until very recently some members of parliament believed that you won't get aids if they showered afterwards. Therefore in Africa one does what one can, have a wonderful evening and thank you

 

[rdd1952]

I'm glad it's finally working out for you. I hate to hear you have so many issues with your tap water. That must be difficult to live with. Do you have to use bottle water for everything except bathing?

 

[Leeza]

THANKFULLY MY FATHER IS IN THE OSMOSIS BUSINESS AND IT'S CHEAP TO BUY THE WATER. WE USE IT FOR COOKING AND DRINKING. WE DIDN'T REALISE THE WATER WAS THAT BAD, UNTIL WE TESTED IT, SINCE WE'VE USED OTHER WATER WE ARE HEALTHIER JUST LIKE THE FISHES. HAVE A NICE DAY