Overstocked/overfeeding = High Nitrite Levels?

[treelo]

ive got a 2x1x1 tank and am currently cycling it with fish, my ammonia levels are really starting to settle down now(down to <0.25)

the tank has been set up about 20 days and i have 7 platys and a common plec while its cycling

the common plec is only 3 inches long and i already have a home for him when i move house(4-8 weeks) so he wont be crammed into the tank for too long

now my nitrite is still high while all the other levels are becoming acceptable, is my tank overstocked?

i feed the fish twice a day, although only feed them very small amounts, i was going to start feeding them once a day but my platys have decided to start nipping at the plec when they get a bit peckish(something im not too happy about)

are my nitrates high because im overstocked, or because im feeding too much, or both?

and what would you suggest to bring the nitrite down?

 

[dc3]

It could be that the bacteria required to convert nitrites have not fully established... it's my understanding that the nitrite part of the nitrogen cycle takes a little longer than the ammonia part...

For now, you pretty much have to ride it out and help things along with water changes to jet out the waste and cut back on the feedings in the first place - you're ammonia isn't fully fixed up yet either... what are your nitrite readings?

 

[martyn21uk]

Your nitrites are too high because you are still cycling. During cycling the bacteria that turn ammonia into nitrite grow first. Then the next lot of bacteria grow second and they turn nitrite into nitrate. They need the nitrite there to grow which is why they come along later. They also take approximately twice as long to establish as the first lot for your ammonia did.

Keep doing water changes and get that plec out as soon as you can!!

 

[treelo]

here are my full tank readings from today:

pH: 7.6
Nitrite: between 2 and 5
Nitrate: 5
Ammo: 0.25(wife thinks its less than that)

ammonia has slowly crept down since monday when it was 1.0, Nitrite has shot back up recently

i have also start putting fresh vegs in my tank for about 12 hours at a time

 

[martyn21uk]

yep you are at the second stage of cycling with your nitrite spiking. Keep going, you're not too far away now!

 

[treelo]

cheers mate

a few of my fish also spend an hour or two swimming vertically as well, nowt wrong with them as they wim fine for the rest of the day...just seems odd

 

[mark.w.jones]

That nitrite reading is extremely high if it's accurate. Are you doing water changes of 20% every other day at the moment. If not you really should be as those high levels really need diluting until you've built up enough bacteria to cope with your current stock. With just those platies you are pretty much fully stocked I'm afraid and that's not taking into account your common plec. You've maybe got room for 3 pygmy cories but certainly not for a while as your water stats are all over the place at the moment.

 

[treelo]

i will be getting shut of all my fish once its cycled

i have done a few water changes of approx 30% every other day but this was meant to the da i changed but i really want to know my water readings without a water change, incase im getting crap from my tap water

 

[stang1]

Is there any reason you can't re-home the fish now? It'd be a lot kinder.

 

[treelo]

my fish seem to be happy as larry, otherwise i would try and move them on now

the platys swarm to the front of the tank as soon as someone moves towards them, and the plec was over here giving me the eye because i failed to give its cucumber in the tank for a day

i dont want to move them on as they are showing all the signs of actually liking being in my tank, i tried to pick the cucumber out the tank and had all the platys trying to nibble at my hand/fingers the other night

they dont look distressed

 

[stang1]

I'm just curious as to why you are keeping them in an uncycled tank if you are going to re-home them anyway?

 

[treelo]

im trying to cycle the tank

the fish were introduced after 3 days, i wasnt aware you could actually cycle a tank with no fish in at the time

 

[stang1]

im trying to cycle the tank

the fish were introduced after 3 days, i wasnt aware you could actually cycle a tank with no fish in at the time

I appreciate that and I'm not having a go. You can still cycle your tank without fish, so it would be kinder to re-home them now and continue to let your tank cycle.

 

[treelo]

i would if they didnt look so happy

they nibble at my fingers and the plec comes and stares me out if it hasnt had a cucumber for a day

 

[rdd1952]

The bacteria that process nitrite are much slower to develop than those that proccess ammonia. The nitrite will continue to rise unless you start doing daily (maybe twice daily) water changes to lower it. Nitrite in the long run may be more harmful to fish than ammonia. If you can rehome the fish now as suggested and complete the cycling fishlessly with ammonia, it would be best.