Nitrite Spike After Large Water Change- It's Spiked Again

[Ny82]

I noticed on friday one of my male platies rubbing against the plants, I checked the water-ammonia 0, nitrites 0 and finally my nitrates were working-they were about 20/30. I was worried about why it was doing it and did a 90% water change. Since then the nitrites are purple and I can't get them down. I did more water changes every day-i'm going through tapsafe and stress coat+ at a record pace
saturday - 90% water change - ammonia 0, nitrates 20-30, nitrites purple.
sunday - 90% water change - ammonia 0, nitrates 20-30, nitrites purple.
yesterday - 90% water change - ammonia 0, nitrates 20-30, nitrites purple.
Today - 70% water change - ammonia 0, nitrates 20-30, nitrites light purple.

What's going on? I have had this media in my tank now for 3 months. I recently got a new filter and transferred the old media into it. Would my tank be classed as newly cycled? I didn't know anything about cycling before I joined back in november.
The reason I ask is on another forum I read that doing a huge water change like that causes a nitrite spike in newly cycled tanks and takes about 2 weeks to come back down themselves and that you should do a 10% change every day until they come down. Am I doing too much and not letting it settle?
How true is this because i'm freaking out i've never had it this high for so many days before.
Thanks

 

[Prime Ordeal]

There's only two possibilities.
1. BY an amazing coincidence your nitrite test kit went faulty just after you made the water change and is not reading accurately. Highly unlikely I think.
2. Your massive water change nuked the nitrite eating bacteria. Very likely.

You're back in a fish-in cycle and you need to be doing what you are doing which is water changes to keep that nitrite below 0.25ppm.

I'm surprised your fish aren't showing signs of distress though as the nitrite must be well above 5ppm.

Take a sample to your LFS to get a second check done just in case.

Also stop feeding for a few days and give the tank a really good clean, this will reduce the ammonia production and hence the nitrite.

 

[Ny82]

There's only two possibilities.
1. BY an amazing coincidence your nitrite test kit went faulty just after you made the water change and is not reading accurately. Highly unlikely I think.
2. Your massive water change nuked the nitrite eating bacteria. Very likely.

You're back in a fish-in cycle and you need to be doing what you are doing which is water changes to keep that nitrite below 0.25ppm.

I'm surprised your fish aren't showing signs of distress though as the nitrite must be well above 5ppm.

Take a sample to your LFS to get a second check done just in case.

Also stop feeding for a few days and give the tank a really good clean, this will reduce the ammonia production and hence the nitrite.

I thought I cleaned it too much and that's why the nitrites spiked! I syphoned and did the glass every time. I tested it 3 times it was dark blue but now it's went light purple. It's hard to tell on the card it's about 0.50/1. I am about to do another 90% change just now. Try and get the nitrites back down.
Thanks for the help

 

[Ny82]

Ok I just did another 90% change and the nitrites have dropped right down to 0
Before the change:

After

I thought oh it always does this and then darkens but it's been about 15 mins and it's still blue

The only thing I did different was take the sponges out the filter and gently clean them in the tank water I emptied into the bucket.

How very, very strange but it's sorted now so thankyou for the help I will keep a very close eye on it.

 

[robert clements]

hi mine happend at the weekend as well but done one big water change today and asorted now gald yours is ok as well

 

[Primous]

It's your water supply and happens from time to time. Thankfully my tap stats are nuetral but on occasion for whatever reason your levels can spike. My advice is to do one change and allow your bacs to go to work. If it's nitrates then there is not much you can do except wc when the levels return to 0ppm.

 

[Ny82]

Ah right that explains it as i've never had it that high - and then suddenly drop to 0. I was beginning to think I was going mad
That's one less worry now! I never ever had any nitrates showing but since a few days ago they started working too and they are orange.
Good times
Thanks for the advice i'm not touching it now until sunday - that's my water change day.

 

[Ny82]

So today I decided to test the water again since I had that spike and sorted it last night and it's back upto purple again after it being at 0. Overnight it's went sky high again and I just don't get it. I didn't touch the water I only added the plant fertiliser.
Should I do another water change or should I leave it?

 

[the_lock_man]

There's only two possibilities.
1. BY an amazing coincidence your nitrite test kit went faulty just after you made the water change and is not reading accurately. Highly unlikely I think.
2. Your massive water change nuked the nitrite eating bacteria. Very likely.

Agree that no.1 is highly unlikely, but could you enlighten us as to why no.2 is very likely - or is it just that the sum of highly unlikely and very likely is certainty?

 

[Ny82]

ok I just done a 90% water change and I tested it about 10 mins ago. Thankfully it's went down, there's no hint of purple at all now it's blue but not light like 0.

would you say it was between 0 and 0.25? Would a 50% water change tomorrow fix it or do I have to do another 90%?
Thanks

 

[Prime Ordeal]

There's only two possibilities.
1. BY an amazing coincidence your nitrite test kit went faulty just after you made the water change and is not reading accurately. Highly unlikely I think.
2. Your massive water change nuked the nitrite eating bacteria. Very likely.

Agree that no.1 is highly unlikely, but could you enlighten us as to why no.2 is very likely - or is it just that the sum of highly unlikely and very likely is certainty?

Because I've seen it happen enough times to know that unless you match the new water to the old water in temperature and pH (at least) there's a good chance you'll cause the NOB and sometimes both the AOB and NOB to have a good sulk for a few days.

 

[Prime Ordeal]

would you say it was between 0 and 0.25? Would a 50% water change tomorrow fix it or do I have to do another 90%?
Thanks

Difficult to say but at least it's not purple so leave it for now and check it later to see what happens. Only do a water change if it's 0.25 or above, so when it's a definite purple. The amount of water you need to change depends on how quickly the nitrite is rising so, for example, if it reads a definite 0.5ppm or more tomorrow morning I would do a 90% change, but if it's 0.25 just do a 50% change.

 

[Ny82]

Brilliant thanks very much for the help

 

[Prime Ordeal]

I only just noticed that you added plant fertiliser. It shouldn't change the nitrite level but I would stop using it for a few days just in case. Are you adding anything else?

 

[Ny82]

Nope just that. I started using it as the plants looked wilted and most of my red/pink ones melted away. I use it once a week.