Nitrites Wont Go Down Even After 2 Big Water Changes!

[MewMew42]

this is in my 28 g, i did a 50% yesterday and the same today yet nothing has changed its at 1ppm ammonia at 0 and nitates between 10-40 [i can't tell the difference...] PH is at 6.6 if that makes any difference

what can i do? i did the water change about an hour ago, will it settle?

bahhhh

 

[loachman]

I assume that the stocking for the 28 gal is the same as listed in your signature. If so, the stocking is pretty heavy and that would likely cause a large daily production in ammonia (and therefore nitrite & nitrate).

How old is the tank? Has it been cycled?

In a new or uncycled tank, It is not surprising that you'd have ammonia and/or nitrite with daily water changes.

 

[DarkEntity]

this is in my 28 g, i did a 50% yesterday and the same today yet nothing has changed its at 1ppm ammonia at 0 and nitates between 10-40 [i can't tell the difference...] PH is at 6.6 if that makes any difference

what can i do? i did the water change about an hour ago, will it settle?

bahhhh

2 Whiptail Catfish 1 Rubbernose Plec 1 Hoplo Cat 4 Baby Loaches <---thats your massive waste producers, im assuming you cycled the tank prior to stuffing all those fish in the tank?

If not thats cause number 2

 

[MewMew42]

yes i cycled my tank, its about 3 months old now

I usually do weekly water changes, but suddenly the nitrite popped up so thats why they were done today and yesterday

Ive had those fish in my tank for a while now and no problems, im going to test again and see what it is now

 

[waterdrop]

I think you're doing the right thing, just not enough!

Assuming your tap water doesn't have ammonia in it, I'd just increase those water changes to 70% and do several more in fairly quick succession (don't move them closer than an hour apart.) At this kind of percentage you should use some care to condition the incoming water and use your hand to pretty carefully match temperature with your tank water. There is some thought that NO2/NO3 concentrations may not always distribute themselves with complete evenness throughout the tank water, possibly some of it hanging closer to the mulm/DOC in the filter/substrate/under-decs. Assuming your kit is giving you a correct number at 1ppm, then the danger of permanent nerve damage pretty much trumps any concerns about worries from the large size of the suggested water changes.

~~waterdrop~~

 

[loachman]

Be sure you use a dechlorinator in the water as well.