Nitrite Levels

[Barracuda518]

I just tested my water:

Ammonia: 0
Nitrate: 7
ph: 6.8
NITRITE: 5.0

Should I be worried about this? Im changing over to sand tommorrow, which means I will still use this water, but there will be some new water added. Any help would be appreicated..

 

[Def]

If there are fish in there, they're about to die...

What you need to do is get nitrite down to zero. Start waterchanging now.

 

[tttnjfttt]

Def is right, you have got to get that nitrite level down. However, you don't want to change the water conditions too quickly, or it can be even more stressful on the fish. I would recomend you begin doing a 25% water change every 3-4 hours today. Also, I would recomend that you hold off on switching to sand, simply because the process can be stressful to fish. Getting caught, moved into a new, smaller tank, waiting around, getting moved again. Just wait until you have things controlled.

Also what type of fish do you have in your tank. Salt can help with nitrite poisioning, but not all fish can tollerate salt.

 

[Barracuda518]

Def is right, you have got to get that nitrite level down. However, you don't want to change the water conditions too quickly, or it can be even more stressful on the fish. I would recomend you begin doing a 25% water change every 3-4 hours today. Also, I would recomend that you hold off on switching to sand, simply because the process can be stressful to fish. Getting caught, moved into a new, smaller tank, waiting around, getting moved again. Just wait until you have things controlled.

Also what type of fish do you have in your tank. Salt can help with nitrite poisioning, but not all fish can tollerate salt.

[snapback]877862[/snapback]​

Danios, Neons, Cories, YoYo Loaches..

 

[tttnjfttt]

nope, no salt for you. do you have a hospital tank?

 

[Barracuda518]

Nope not yet. I tested the water again to make sure I did it right, and came out to 2.0 this time...I dont think I read it right last time...Thats still high tho

 

[tttnjfttt]

Yeah, begin the water changes until it is down to atleast .5, preferablely .25. Keep up with them until they are back to zero, and hold off on the sand change. No need to stress the fish out more than needed.

 

[Barracuda518]

ok..How often should I test the water?

 

[tttnjfttt]

I'd do atleast two water changes tonight. simply going by the maths, each change is 25%, starting wiht 2.0 ppm nitrite

1st change - 1.5
2nd change - 1.125
3rd change - .85
4th change - .64
5th change - .47

 

[Barracuda518]

I'd do atleast two water changes tonight. simply going by the maths, each change is 25%, starting wiht 2.0 ppm nitrite

1st change - 1.5
2nd change - 1.125
3rd change - .85
4th change - .64
5th change - .47

[snapback]877889[/snapback]​

So I need to test it after every water change?

 

[rdd1952]

Definitely don't change the substrate. Part of your bacteria colony lives in the substrate and changeing that will cause more of a cycling problem. Your tank is still cycling. Don't make any changes in filter or substrate until you have ammonia and nitrite readings of 0 for at least 7 straight days. Everyone else is right about the water changes though. Need to start those immediately. Are you using a liquid test or test strips? Strips can lead to some very inaccurate readings.

 

[Barracuda518]

Definitely don't change the substrate. Part of your bacteria colony lives in the substrate and changeing that will cause more of a cycling problem. Your tank is still cycling. Don't make any changes in filter or substrate until you have ammonia and nitrite readings of 0 for at least 7 straight days. Everyone else is right about the water changes though. Need to start those immediately. Are you using a liquid test or test strips? Strips can lead to some very inaccurate readings.

[snapback]877899[/snapback]​

Im using liquid. The ammonia is already at 0..

I just did a water change, when should I test it again?

 

[tttnjfttt]

I would definately test the water daily. If you can do three water changes today, I would also test it again after the third, just to see how things are coming.

 

[Barracuda518]

Ok thanks.

I tested the tap water to make sure and it was 0..

Thanks for all the help B)

EDIT: All fish are very active and show no signs of anything. What should I be looking for, and what about feeding? Do I keep feeding?

 

[xXMrBonesXx]

the bacteria needs nitrite in the water in order to build so lowering the nitrite is going to lead to a longer cycle

i was told by someone that has been in the fish keeping hobby 40 years that you need to let the nitrites get to 0 on thier own then do a water change after of about 25%

but i guess since you have fish in their you want to keep them low enough so the fish don't die

if i was you i'd get in touch of a small local store and see if they'll hold your fish for you while you work out your tank