Nitrites very high on 5 week old New tank setup

[eryoung2k]

Hello all new here,
Ok i've set up a 29 Gallon Fresh water tank, It has lots of plants, using Landen Aqua Soil for substrate. The plants look amazing and growing. PH is 6.5. I've got 5 Zebra Danio's to start with (had 6 as 1 passed away the 1st week) last week added 3 small cory cats. They are doing great. Using a Fluval C3 HOB filter, took out the carbon on day 3 of the new tank and added bio balls in its place. Amonia spiked and is now 0 for the past week, but my Nitrites are very high (i'd say 4 or 5) on my API Master test kit and don't seem to be dropping at all. I have done a few water changes and using Seachem Prime in the buckets of new water, also have been using SeaChem Stability. Am I just being impatient on the Nitrites to drop? OH I have tested my tap water, PH is 7.0 Amonia 0 andNitrites are 0, GH is 50-100. Just want a nice peaceful Community tank.

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[Essjay]

Despite having plants - or rather because your plants have not grown much yet - you are doing a fish-in cycle. With this method of cycling, you need to test for ammonia and nitrite every day and every time either of them reads above zero, you need to do a water change big enough to get it to zero.
With a nitrite level as high as this, you need to empty almost all the water from the tank, leaving just enough for the fish to be able to swim, then refill with dechlorinated water at the same temperature as the water you remove.


Fish excrete ammonia, and this is the first thing to show up, as you have found. Ammonia burns the fish's skin and gills, so it needs to be kept as low as possible. Once the ammonia eating bacteria start to grow, they turn ammonia into nitrite. This binds to the oxygen receptors in the blood and prevents oxygen binding - in basic terms, it does to fish what carbon monoxide does to us. This must be kept at zero or the fish will suffocate.

Seachem Prime detoxifies both ammonia and nitrite for around 24 hours, then they become toxic again. Both detoxified forms still show up in the tests. Prime will keep the fish safe between daily water changes, but another water change must be done after 24 hours if they read above zero again.

 

[eryoung2k]

Despite having plants - or rather because your plants have not grown much yet - you are doing a fish-in cycle. With this method of cycling, you need to test for ammonia and nitrite every day and every time either of them reads above zero, you need to do a water change big enough to get it to zero.
With a nitrite level as high as this, you need to empty almost all the water from the tank, leaving just enough for the fish to be able to swim, then refill with dechlorinated water at the same temperature as the water you remove.


Fish excrete ammonia, and this is the first thing to show up, as you have found. Ammonia burns the fish's skin and gills, so it needs to be kept as low as possible. Once the ammonia eating bacteria start to grow, they turn ammonia into nitrite. This binds to the oxygen receptors in the blood and prevents oxygen binding - in basic terms, it does to fish what carbon monoxide does to us. This must be kept at zero or the fish will suffocate.

Seachem Prime detoxifies both ammonia and nitrite for around 24 hours, then they become toxic again. Both detoxified forms still show up in the tests. Prime will keep the fish safe between daily water changes, but another water change must be done after 24 hours if they read above zero again.

Thank you so much!!!!! Going to do a BIG water change now!!!! I really appreciate your help!!! So glad I found this forum!! I will try to match the temp of the water as well.

take care,
Eddie

 

[eryoung2k]

Changed about 3/4 of the water, same water temp as tank. Added Prime to the buckets of water. Added Stability once the tank was full. Amonia 0, Nitrites 0 not going to feed them today and will check again tomorrow.

 

[Essjay]

I forgot to mention feeding Yes, if you cut down feeding to once every other day, less ammonia will be made which will be turned into less nitrite.

The important thing as you go forwards is to test every day and do a water change whenever ammonia and/or nitrite are above zero. The tank will be cycled for the current fish load when you haven't needed to do a water change for 7 days. Assuming you want to add more fish eventually, it will be OK as long as you don't add too many fish at once. Slowly is the way to go. Don't forget to keep an eye on the ammonia and nitrite levels after each batch of new fish.

 

[eryoung2k]

I was only feeding small amount of tetra flake (very small) to the Zebra Danios and just a couple of small pellets for the 3 cory's only once a day (love those little guys) I eventually want to add a school of small Neon Tetra's, will hold off until everything settles down (Amonia remains 0 and Nitrites 0) I promissed the wife fancy tailed guppy's. What are your thoughts on how many Neons and guppy's I can safely put in the tank? Again current occupents in the tank is 5 Zebra Danios and 3 cory cats

 

[Essjay]

Do you know how hard your tap water is? Your water provider's website may well have this information.

Neon tetras are soft water fish, while guppies are hard water fish. Cories are soft water fish though danios can live in quite a wide range. If your hardness is sort of middling, you may be able to keep all the fish you want.
As a side issue cories do a lot better in larger groups. The same species is best, but a mixed species group can work provided there are at least 3 of each species in the group. Once the tank is cycled, I would make more cories the next addition.

 

[eryoung2k]

Our water hardness is 0-50 to 50-100 (it was right in the middle) which supposedly is good for tetra's. The 3 Cory's I have are all the same. They hang out together which is really cool (there my favorite) I really did all the research I could before setting up this tank. I was into the hobby big time 25 years ago. I had 7 tanks set up, Salt water, Brackish water and 5 tropicals. But unfortently through the years I forgot some important info and very thankful for this forum!!! The main thing I noticed that changed in the hobby is the hob filters and lighting! I tossed the light that came with the hood for a 3 spectrum led light (for a real planted tank) that seems to working great with the plants in there! Also I like the Fluval C3 where you can kinda put different media in there. I'm used to canister filters, I had all eheim canisters in my tanks back in the day with protien skimmers and a diatamsious earth filter for the salt water! but thought a eheim canister would be over kill for a 29 gallon tank. Any input is appreciated!!!! Very happy to be able to be back into the Hobby, wife said I'm addicted again LOL

 

[Essjay]

We have come to realise over the years that keeping fish in water similar to that in the which they evolved is better for their health. Byron explains it better than I can so here is some reading for you

Importance of GH over pH in Freshwater Fish Aquaria

In another thread, I was asked by @Uberhoust if I had scientific data to support my frequent advice that GH was the more important parameter when compared to pH [temperature is another critical parameter but outside this particular discussion], and rather than hijack that thread, perhaps start a...

www.fishforums.net

That hardness is indeed good for tetras, danios and cories, but it's a bit sift for guppies. Can you persuade your wife you need a different fish?
Of course if you have been used to multiple tanks, you could always set up a guppy tank and add hardness minerals to that

 

[eryoung2k]

LOL!!! Funny i told her I might have to set up another tank once this is established nicely!!! She said "oh here we go again NO!!!" Maybe when I tell her guppy's wont do good in there she'll let me Thanks for that link going to do a little reading with my coffee this morning! I see your from the UK, wife and I spent 3 weeks over there for her Birthday before Covid hit, spent a week in London, a week in Liverpool (i'm a Beatles nut), and a week in Wales (also a Zeppelin nut! went to Ragland Castle where Rober Plant filmed his dream sequance from The Song Remains The Same). Absolutely loved it!! Funny when we left London we rented a car to head to Liverpool made the mistake and rented it right in the center of London! Big mistake! (leaning to drive on the other side of the road!!! LOL!!!!!

 

[eryoung2k]

Ok I can happily report Nitrites and Amonia are now 0 and Nitrates are 5 My fish and I thank you Essjay!!!!

 

[Essjay]

Don't forget to keep an eye on ammonia and nitrite every day till you know they are staying at zero

 

[eryoung2k]

Thats a big 10 4!!! Will be checking everyday for a week before I add more tank mates!!