Please Help, No Idea What To Do....

[gbp34c]

Posted a topic a couple days ago and can't seem to find it but have been gone again out of country. Back now and long story short my Nitrite levels have been up, down, and all over. I came back in town and girlfriend had over fed fish like crazy. Took everyones advice and did huge water changes to combat problem. Got level down to about .50 and all levels were good and fish seemed much better....after losing many. Levels started rising after not doing water change for one day and went up to 1.0ppm overnight. Went by LFS and bought a Polyfilter suggested by several people and put in "Stableizer" from LFS which was suppose to promote bacteria growth and get everything under control. Put that in last night and levels today all seem alright but Nitrite climbed from 1.0ppm to over 5.0ppm and off the charts in 24 hour period. All other levels are good and have no idea what to do...fish store seems to think I did to many water changes and should not have changed filter NOW (I have two but only changed one) even thought they told me to yesterday. They said to not touch anything and let tank be for 3 or 4 days but fish are acting weird again and swimming like crazy like they were before like a couple that had died before. Really have no idea where to go from here...any thoughts and or suggestions would be great. Oh and there is a slight temp change from about 77 degrees to 81degrees at times which may be due to weather change and use of new heater. Very new to this but thanks again and any response would be helpful!!

Edit...polyfilter turned Orange after one day of being in filterj, not sure what it means but fish swimming up and down over and over again. LFS said to stop water changes and let go for 3 to 4 days still but they were fine before?? Thanks again.

 

[Tolak]

First forget the polyfilter. If you have a media that absorbs ammonia your tank either will never cycle if you change it frequently enough, or will have ammonia & nitrite spikes if you don't change it often enough.

You certainly do need to change your water in a cycling tank with fish, 50% daily. Your lfs is wrong.

Overfeeding will certainly cause spikes, even more so in a cycling tank. Feed every other day, 1/2 normal for an end result of feeding 1/4 normal. A fish's stomach is about the size of its eye, count eyes & feed that tiny amount every other day, no more.

 

[gbp34c]

First forget the polyfilter. If you have a media that absorbs ammonia your tank either will never cycle if you change it frequently enough, or will have ammonia & nitrite spikes if you don't change it often enough.

You certainly do need to change your water in a cycling tank with fish, 50% daily. Your lfs is wrong.

Overfeeding will certainly cause spikes, even more so in a cycling tank. Feed every other day, 1/2 normal for an end result of feeding 1/4 normal. A fish's stomach is about the size of its eye, count eyes & feed that tiny amount every other day, no more.

I figured the cycle was done and all levels seem to be good except for the Nitrites, is that a lack of bacteria??....tank has been running for about 3 months.....will do a water change right now and have already cut done on food. I have two filters and will leave the one with a carbon filter alone but should I leave the polyfilter in for now or take it out?? Thanks again for the help

 

[WILDER]

How many gallons is the tank?
How many fish and which type.
All you can do is water changes and increase aeration in the tank.
Do you know any fish keepers that have mature tanks that they could give you a mature sponge from.

 

[quantumnerd]

Hmm..

I think I SHOULD overfeed my fish XD

There's zero ammonia in my tank.

But for you...

Just let it be, and perform daily water changes.

 

[WILDER]

What your location.
Did you use a med for popeye as some bacterial meds can knock your water stats as make it worse in a cycling tank.
http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=260806&hl=

 

[gbp34c]

What your location.
Did you use a med for popeye as some bacterial meds can knock your water stats as make it worse in a cycling tank.
[URL="http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=260806&hl="]http/www.fishforums.net/index.php?showtopic=260806&hl=[/URL]

Wow such quick responses...Fish with popeye is isolated and it has gone away but don't want to put him back in until levels are correct because he got it back rigbht away when I did it before and did not use meds b/c it went away very quickly and has not returned if out of regular tank. Levels are as I said before except Nitrites and temp changed a little:

Tank size: 45 gallons
pH: 7.8
ammonia: 0
nitrite: brought down to about 1.0 but spikes up from .25 to over 1.0 within 12 hours of water change
nitrate: 5
kH: 80
gH: 120
tank temp: 77

...but have brought Nitrites down all the way and they spiked right back up. temp in tank was up and down from 74 to 81 but have bought new heater and keeping it at about 76 or 78. I am in St. Louis MO and do know guy who runs works at zoo and has tanks but has been out of town. Asked LFS for some used filter or rocks for that matter and they said the stabilizer would put bacteria in and media they had wouldn't do anything more than the stabilizer would. Will do a water change now but when or how do I know if bacteria is present and keeping tank under control?? Thanks again so much for the support

 

[WILDER]

So your temp stable now.
High temp speed bacteria growth up in tank, cooler temp the bacteria dosn't grow as fast.
Never use benefical bacteria from another tank if there been desease in it.
Just water changes and increase aeration and hope the stablizer does the job fast.

 

[gbp34c]

So your temp stable now.
High temp speed bacteria growth up in tank, cooler temp the bacteria dosn't grow as fast.
Never use benefical bacteria from another tank if there been desease in it.
Just water changes and increase aeration and hope the stablizer does the job fast.

Will do....keep you posted, Thanks again

 

[WILDER]

If you have two filters running in the tank it can take longer to cycle.
Good luck.

 

[gbp34c]

If you have two filters running in the tank it can take longer to cycle.
Good luck.

Been keeping up with 20% water changes and added a little more of the stabilizer when changing as instructions say. Nitrite levels still don't seem to be staying down, they do for a while then shoot back up. Only people with fish I know have had disease in past with fish so don't want to use any of there media.

Does changing the water so often take out any of the beneficial bacteria?? And should I continue to add the stabilizer every water change??

Thanks again, first tank and want to get it right.

**All other levels are same as before....ONLY Nitrites are the thing I can't control, fish are acting good and eating well. Thanks

 

[WILDER]

I think doing large water changes slows the cycle down but some say it dosn't.
In my opinion best to get the cycle done as fast as possible as drawing it out dosn't always help either.
It's because you have two filters running its taking longer.

 

[gbp34c]

I think doing large water changes slows the cycle down but some say it dosn't.
In my opinion best to get the cycle done as fast as possible as drawing it out dosn't always help either.
It's because you have two filters running its taking longer.
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What about unplugging one filter then or would that just kill the bacteria in there?? Either way water changes will continue and will continue to add the Stabilizer, Thanks

 

[WILDER]

Bacteria can die if the filter not running.
Just got to keep going and hope you havent got long to go.