When Will My Nitrites Drop?

[Daveptkd]

Hi all,


I have had 6 danios in a 125l tank since 21st April 2006, ( I think 20 days ago?).

My ammonia returned to zero after 9 days, little celebration!

But now my Nitrite are off the chart and remain that way, I have been doing water changes 20% every 2 days, or 10% every day. to aleviate stress on the fish if I can, but they remain at an extreme high. The fish are doing fine however, no signs of stress and feeding very well.

When should I expect to see nitrite drop, or is there someting wrong? my LFS said that Nitrites should be zero by now and recommended that I strip out the tank and start from scratch??? according to my 'log', they have been high for 11 days, should I need to wait longer?

many thanks in advance

Dave

 

[phlawed]

Hi all,


I have had 6 danios in a 125l tank since 21st April 2006, ( I think 20 days ago?).

My ammonia returned to zero after 9 days, little celebration!

But now my Nitrite are off the chart and remain that way, I have been doing water changes 20% every 2 days, or 10% every day. to aleviate stress on the fish if I can, but they remain at an extreme high. The fish are doing fine however, no signs of stress and feeding very well.

When should I expect to see nitrite drop, or is there someting wrong? my LFS said that Nitrites should be zero by now and recommended that I strip out the tank and start from scratch??? according to my 'log', they have been high for 11 days, should I need to wait longer?

many thanks in advance

Dave

what is you filtartion on the tank? if the tank cant filter as much biowaste it consumes it will remain high.

 

[Daveptkd]

[/quote]
what is you filtartion on the tank? if the tank cant filter as much biowaste it consumes it will remain high.
[/quote]

HI,

It is the Internal Filter that came with the tank! Jewel Rio 125l

thanks

Dave

 

[Rick]

I was doing a fishless cycle and my nitirites were off the scale yesterday. Today they were at zero. It will probably happen overnight.

 

[BHornsey]

I was doing a fishless cycle and my nitirites were off the scale yesterday. Today they were at zero. It will probably happen overnight.

Yeah, give it a while longer and keep up with regular (recommend daily if nitrite's that high) water changes. Ammonia reducing bacteria grow quickly but nitrite reducers are two to three times slower depending on temperature, pH and O2 levels. If you strip out you gotta start again.

After 11 days the promised land is over the horizon and as Rick says, Nitrite will drop overnight once it's done

Brian

 

[Daveptkd]

I was doing a fishless cycle and my nitirites were off the scale yesterday. Today they were at zero. It will probably happen overnight.

Yeah, give it a while longer and keep up with regular (recommend daily if nitrite's that high) water changes. Ammonia reducing bacteria grow quickly but nitrite reducers are two to three times slower depending on temperature, pH and O2 levels. If you strip out you gotta start again.

After 11 days the promised land is over the horizon and as Rick says, Nitrite will drop overnight once it's done

Brian

I'll wait a bit longer, i'm getting real fast with the water changes anyway!!

i'm glad I ignored my LFS!!

thanks

Dave

 

[Daveptkd]

I was doing a fishless cycle and my nitirites were off the scale yesterday. Today they were at zero. It will probably happen overnight.

Yeah, give it a while longer and keep up with regular (recommend daily if nitrite's that high) water changes. Ammonia reducing bacteria grow quickly but nitrite reducers are two to three times slower depending on temperature, pH and O2 levels. If you strip out you gotta start again.

After 11 days the promised land is over the horizon and as Rick says, Nitrite will drop overnight once it's done

Brian

I'll wait a bit longer, i'm getting real fast with the water changes anyway!!

i'm glad I ignored my LFS!!

thanks

Dave

HI, THOUGHT I WOULD UPDATE YOU ALL - My Nitrites are reading ZERO today, and Ammonia!! Nitrate is <20!!! I tested twice because I could not believe it!!! YIPEE

so, trip to lfs tomorrow!!! it's a 33 gal tank with 5 danios currently, would 3 swordtails (2 female, 1 male) and 1 small bristlenose be too much too soon?

many thanks

Dave

 

[mark.w.jones]

Bare in mind that you filter currently has enough bacteria to cope with the waste from 6 danios. Once your new fish are added it'll take a little while for the new ammonia, nitrite and nitrate bacteria to grow so initially you will get another ammonia spike.

Adding that many sounds OK to me but Ive never cycled with fish before so wait for someone more experienced to let you know. Id have thought that as long as you keep an eye on water stats for the week or so after adding them and water change if necessary it shouldnt take too long before you filter is able to cope with the 10 fish and then you can add again.

Good luck

 

[BHornsey]

That's great! Glad it all worked out.

JonesUK is right, the bacteria colony will be sufficient for the load you have so stock slowly.

The four you have listed should be fine unless they are well grown on. I wouldn't add any more than that at a time and wait at least 2 weeks before considering more.
Keep an eye on water chemistry as well; you may get an ammonia / nitrite spike.

 

[Daveptkd]

That's great! Glad it all worked out.

JonesUK is right, the bacteria colony will be sufficient for the load you have so stock slowly.

The four you have listed should be fine unless they are well grown on. I wouldn't add any more than that at a time and wait at least 2 weeks before considering more.
Keep an eye on water chemistry as well; you may get an ammonia / nitrite spike.

hi all,

well, yesterday i came home with 3 (small) swordtails, 1 male, 2 female, and 1 clown pleco (tiny). THEN, last night i read on this forum that the clown pleco need to be in a group and hides all the time. So today he went back and I swapped him for an albino bristlenose, who has been in the tank since 11am and is already all over the tank munching on algae

the swords are doing fine too, athough one of the ladie eats flake, then spits it out again! hope she will become less fussy.

many thanks

Dave

P.S. all levels are still Zero (tested at 14:30 today), except nitrate of course, but low. I will test everyday and water change as required.