Nitrite Spike?

[sufcdan]

i had my nitrite spike about 3/4 days ago, how long can i expect for the nitrite to start reading 0ppm. am only adding 2/3ppm of ammonia each night now and by the morning it reads 0ppm

ALSO..............

I go on holiday on sunday, so kinda awful timing for the tank to cycle/be cycled by.

what should i do? give the tank to a friend and get them to add 2/3ppm of ammonia each night (even if it is already cycled) until im home from holiday OR if it has cycled, and my fish and hope that my friend can keep them alive for a week if i give them instructions

thanks

 

[Miss Wiggle]

it's hard top predict timings, but it often takes a week or two for the nitrite to drop down to 0 in 12 hrs after the spike.

Because a tank is fairly unstable when you've just finished cycling it's always advised to carry on adding ammonia for a week or so after the cycle's finished, so I think it's best to get your friend to come in each day and add ammonia to the tank while you're away. Then hopefully when you get back the cycle will be finished and you can go out and get yourself some fish.

 

[sufcdan]

it's hard top predict timings, but it often takes a week or two for the nitrite to drop down to 0 in 12 hrs after the spike.

Because a tank is fairly unstable when you've just finished cycling it's always advised to carry on adding ammonia for a week or so after the cycle's finished, so I think it's best to get your friend to come in each day and add ammonia to the tank while you're away. Then hopefully when you get back the cycle will be finished and you can go out and get yourself some fish.

so would i just get him to add 2/3ppm each night, would that be sufficient enough?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yes,

it depends on who your friend is, how much they are prepared to do etc

if possible they should do everything you've been doing, monitoring the levels and so on.

But if they can't/won't do that then just adding 2/3ppm each day should be fine. There's an outside chance of something like a pH drop in this time which if it isn't being monitored could throw a spanner in the works. But it'd be much better to risk that happening when your cycling fishlessly rather than risk it happening with fish in.

 

[doresy]

Just to add.......be very clear to your friend on exactly how much ammonia to add and the importance of doing it daily.

As previously suggested, set-ups can be extremely unstable directly after a cycle is achieved and many newcomers have added fish too early only to suffer a major setback. As long as your friend is reliable this could be a blessing in disguise in the effect that it stops you getting impatient to add fish

Just think....holiday ends get to go shopping for fish stock

 

[Miss Wiggle]

Just think....holiday ends get to go shopping for fish stock

perfect cure for post holiday blues I reckon!!!

 

[sufcdan]

Just think....holiday ends get to go shopping for fish stock

perfect cure for post holiday blues I reckon!!!

definently!

daily? at the moment iv got about 5ppm of nitrite and im adding 3ppm of ammonia 10am & 10pm evryday. By this time each day the ammonia reads 0ppm.

So would i just get my friend to add 3ppm of ammonia at 10am & 10pm each day like i have? or do i drop it to once a day?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

you only need to add it once a day, you can drop down to adding it every 24 hrs and ask your friend to do the same,

 

[sufcdan]

you only need to add it once a day, you can drop down to adding it every 24 hrs and ask your friend to do the same,

So if i ONLY add 3ppm of ammonia each night say 10pm, even tho it reads 0ppm in 12 hours i can leave it a full 24 hours before adding more ammonia?

Will this not starve of bacteria?

 

[Miss Wiggle]

yes only add it once a day, and no it won't starve the bacteria, bacteria start to die off after 12 hrs with no food..... so if you bear in mind it takes the bacteria 12 hrs to consume the ammonia, it's then another 12 hrs before the next feed so no die off, even if you did get some it would be so minimal as to not make a difference.

 

[sufcdan]

yes only add it once a day, and no it won't starve the bacteria, bacteria start to die off after 12 hrs with no food..... so if you bear in mind it takes the bacteria 12 hrs to consume the ammonia, it's then another 12 hrs before the next feed so no die off, even if you did get some it would be so minimal as to not make a difference.

great! will be alot more simple getting my friend to just add one dose of ammonia per day, thanks!

 

[waterdrop]

Totally agree with all this advice. I was recently faced with the exact same decision and chose to have the neighbor just do the ammonia adds once a day. It was a young person, but just made sure to demonstrate (demonstrated with water in a dropper instead of real ammonia) -exactly- what was wanted, and I came home to find my bacteria tested out as alive and well - job well done!

~~waterdrop~~