Nitrite Spike

[Fowlersrs]

Hi all,

Last weekend I added 4 cichlids to my new african tanganyika tank, now I thought the tank was cycled however a couple days after adding them I had traces of ammonia and nitrite, only small in proportion so I thought no shakes it will wear off, anyway a couple dayes later I re test and ammonia is undetectable, great I thought, but nitrite has gone through the roof...

I did a 25 percent water change last nite to try and help but it didnt really shift the reading much, is this just a matter of time and waiting for the bacteria to deal with it? I have some anubias plants in there also, the fish seem ok, feeding, still a bit shy and hiding in the rock work but I am concerned for there health with this kind of level, what should I do? wait for the filter to catch up?

 

[Smoothy]

Do another water change I'd say, possibly more than the 25% you already did until the levels come right down

 

[Fowlersrs]

Do another water change I'd say, possibly more than the 25% you already did until the levels come right down

Will this not starve the filter of maturing though? im using an eheim 2232 cannister filter on the tank, would running carbon in it help at all?

I will do another water change tonite if you think thats the right approach..

 

[Smoothy]

How did you cycle the tank? fishless?

As you're now seeing high NitrIte you're basically doing a fish in cycle and will need to be doing several water changes, you need to be keeping the levels at zero or as close to zero as you can at all times.

Carbon in the filter is for removing meds etc in the water, and is no good after a few days anyway, pretty useless for anything else, I'd change it for some sponge or other media

I'm sure someone else will be along shortly to correct me if I've said anything wrong

 

[Fowlersrs]

How did you cycle the tank? fishless?

As you're now seeing high NitrIte you're basically doing a fish in cycle and will need to be doing several water changes, you need to be keeping the levels at zero or as close to zero as you can at all times.

Carbon in the filter is for removing meds etc in the water, and is no good after a few days anyway, pretty useless for anything else, I'd change it for some sponge or other media

I'm sure someone else will be along shortly to correct me if I've said anything wrong

ok ideal, I just had no idea how quickly it would jump up, I did it fishless yes but because I had plants I didnt really see a spike as such, I guess it wasnt properly established so yes in a way im doing a fish cycle, so I will now do my best to bring it down, best get changing some water!!

 

[Fowlersrs]

OK, got it down to 0.3, not far off 0, more changes tomorow..

would this explain the fish hiding constantly, or is that just cos there still getting use to things?