So Now I Have Nitrites, And Questions!

[nckate]

I ended up with between 2 and 5 ppm nitrItes last night (before the 40% water change) and around 2 ppm this morning. Ammonia was practically zero both times. This is normal, right? I've been using a double dose of Prime for the last two weeks to help detoxify the nitrites and ammonia.

My plan is to keep on with the reduced feedings and try not to change the water too often (since the big water changes were stalling the cycle.) Should I aim for a 40% change every three days? (That's what I've been doing for the past week and a half.)

Does aquarium salt help with nitrite toxicity?

And that male opaline gourami has got to go. The two females spend all their time hiding behing the filter intake, because he chases them if they venture out into the open. Never knew it was possible for me to personally *hate* a fish. Should I wait until after the cycle is done to take him back? I'd like to get two females to go with my current two, but that can wait until after the cycle is done.

 

[dc3]

Aquarium salt does indeed do something to make the nitrites less toxic - sorry I can't explain the chemistry to you - but that was what I was told when I had a nitrite spike in my discus tank...

If your male is pushing the other fish around - take him out - there's nothing worse than losing a fish to a bully. There's a certain gourami I have a vendetta against - so maybe I am biased

 

[toppman]

still change the water frequently as nitrite should be kept at its lowest and it doesnt really matter if u stall the cycle for a bit bcoz ur going 2 benefit still in the long run.

 

[Don Trinko]

I had a similar problem. It was suggested that I put 1 teaspoon per gallon of salt in the water.
Nitrite poisoning changes the hemoglobin in the fishes blood so that it cannot obsorb oxigen. The salt keeps the nitrites from attatching to the hemoglobin and protects the fish from nitrite poisoning.
A book I have say's that nitrite poisoning starts to be a problem when nitrites =10. It realy should be 0 or near 0 so I would suggest the salt. When the nitrites disapear your normal water changes will gradualy remove the salt. If you do water changes while you have the high nitrites don't for get to add more salt to compensate for the amount of water you changed. don't use iodized salt! Don T.