No Ammonia, Very High Nitrites...

[Madjonny]

Hi,
I have a fluval edge 46l and it has been up an running for 2 months...

All has been fine when Iv done water tests, I always do a change every week.

2 days ago I got 5 more fish to bring my total to 12 so I'm now fully stocked.
Did a water change when I added the new fish, today I notice 6 of my various platies all huddled round the opening in the top, this was strange so I did some tests...

My ph was 7
My ammonia was about as close to 0 as you can get
However the nitrites were sky high, dark purple as dark as the highest marker on the test! Why could this be?

A bit more info,
As I added new fish, the carbon and biomax have been removed, while I put in a white spot treatment as a precaution...
Iv just now done a water change about 30% and everyone seems happier already...


What could be the problem? Please help, I'm really attached to these fish now and would hate for any casualties...

 

[Blondielovesfish]

Is your tank cycled?
If not read up on this:
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/224306-fish-in-cycling/

And also read up on most/all of these links:
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?/topic/277264-beginners-resource-center/

 

[Madjonny]

The tank was cycled without fish for 10 days...

Is it possible that it will go back to normal once my filters go back in?

For the time being I'll just have to do changes every day until the white spot treatment is finished.
I don't know what do you think?

 

[Supraman]

10 days is not cycled. It took me three weeks to properly cycle a 10gal tank.

The best thing you can do now is keep up on your water changes, I suggest doing 50% twice a day for around two weeks and see how things pan out after that. This way every day you have changed 100% of the water and their is no reason that it should foul. Your also always leaving 50% of the old water in the tank allowing your filter to grow the beneficial bacteria that it needs.

 

[NeonBlueLeon]

Agreed with above.  Your tank appears to be uncycled.  Your tank still needs to develop the nitrite consuming bacteria (nitrobacter if I'm remembering correctly.)  Like Supraman said, keep up with your tests and water changes.  You can use some "nitrite detoxifying" water conditioner such as Seachem Prime to make it easier on your fish.  Note those conditioners will mess with your tests.
 
Try not to medicated without a confident diagnosis.  The medication will stress the fish in addition to your uncycled tank.

 

[Madjonny]

Ok thanks ill do changes several times a day for the time being, but you need to read what I'm writing...

THE FILTERS ARE NOT IN therefor no bacteria is going to grow on them nor is the bacteria in the tank at this point, the filters won't go back in for 5 days, the white spot says remove the media add the treatment then add another dose after 4 days, then on the 7th day filters can go back into the tank...

This is why I'm asking if its likely to go back to normal after I get through this period... Where all I can do is water changes.


I do apologise for sounding rude, I'm just getting a little stressed, the tank was fine for 2 months now I add some new fish and the whole thing seems to have gone to pot...

 

[NeonBlueLeon]

I think your meds may be telling you to removing your carbon.  Is that all you have in your filter?  Just take out the carbon.  If you've got a sponge in there, leave it.
 
If you have a cartridge that has carbon inside mesh, cut the mesh and take out the carbon.  Then at least you'll have the bacteria on your mesh to help out.

 

[Madjonny]

Thankyou, that's more what I was looking for...

Carbon and biomax it tells you to remove... I'll have to examine the Bags in a minute to see, but I don't think you can open them freely... So I'm not sure how I would go about securing them back into the bag once the week is up...

The sponge is still in there...

 

[Madjonny]

Carbon will not come out without tearing the sack...

 

[fluttermoth]

So you do have a filter with sponge in it, in the tank, is that right?

 

[Madjonny]

Yes the sponge is still in the tank, and should really have plenty of bacteria on it as its the next media that needs to be replaced on my calendar...

 

[fluttermoth]

But is it in the filter, or just lose in the tank?
 
What's almost certainly happened is that your tank was cycled, but when you took the carbon/biomax out, you lost most of the bacteria that turn nitrite into nitrate; that would explain why you've had such a bad nitrite spike.
 
I would get as much filter media back in the filter, and back in the tank, as you can; tear the bag to get the carbon out, if needs be; you don't need carbon in your filter anyway. Personally, I'd put the biomax back in as well.
 
Then use large water changes to keep the nitrite down; remembering that you'll have to top up the meds afterwards.

 

[Madjonny]

Ok, yes the sponge is in the filter, it's like an insert where you stack all 3 and slide it down into its container...

Ahhhh! After readings treatment again it only says carbon and zeolite... Is zeolite, Biomax? If not then I didn't need to remove it...

 

[fluttermoth]

No, zeolite and biomax are different and work in different ways, so you can put the biomax back in
 
If it's been kept damp, some bacteria might have survived, which would help you with your nitrite problems no end!

 

[Madjonny]

I'll continue with the water changes throughout the week...

Appreciate the help, thanks...