Where is the NitrAte??

[NewEngland11]

The cycling of my fish tank was going beautifully then when it got to the point where the NitrAte was supposed to form it hasn't yet. I have a 10gallon tank with a few Platys, a Pleco and a couple mollies. I bought a new filter that was supposed to help, the Peguin 125 in addition to my other filter. Now I'm doing 30% water changes every couple of days to keep the Nitrite down. Help from anyone please.

 

[Davy Reynolds]

It should be there soon.
Whats your NitrIte reading??

 

[NewEngland11]

My Nitrate reading has been 0.0 absolutly nothing. The water changes I do so frequently don't seem to be doing much either. They bring the Nitrite down to 8.0 which is almost toxic.

 

[Rose]

New England will you give me the exact number of each fish you have in your 10g tank. I have a funny feeling that the problem you are having is due to over stocking the tank. Rose 8)

 

[NewEngland11]

I have 9 fish in my tank platys, mollies, tetras and a pleco

 

[NewEngland11]

Hello again,
I just read in one of my Nitrite test guides that If you have Nitrite than you have ammonia in your tank. Is this true??? because I'm getting 0.0 reading for ammonia in my tank. This whole cycle thing is a real pain in the a$$

 

[NewEngland11]

I was at the LFS and I was looking at a bottle of "Bacteria Starter" it claims to help with the cycling process. I figured I'd look in a couple aquarium books I have and they don't say anything about it. Does anyone know if it works.

 

[Rose]

The problem you are having with your tank is it's way over stocked. Get rid of some of your fish for now. You want to cycle your tank with a maximum of half the fish you will eventually have in your tank. Example of this is for a 10g tank you will cycle with a max of 5" of fish and no more. This will help keep the ammonia and nitrites down to managable levels.

The bacteria starters are all a bunch of money wasters. They don't do what they claim to do. It won't speed up the cycling process nor will it add any "good guy bacteria" to the tank. I wouldn't bother getting any of it. Save your money for fish and other fish tanks and the like. Rose 8)

 

[Davy Reynolds]

I've mixed views on adding that stuff.
Your right about Nitrite being related to ammonia. But it all depends on your ph level. A high nitrite level and a low ph level usually gives you no ammonia.

Do what rose suggests, you battleing against the cycle just now. Once you get it going everything should be fine. Getting started is always the stumbling block.

 

[NewEngland11]

Thanks for the advice, now I just have to get rid of a few fish

 

[NewEngland11]

I got rid of some of my fish today, :what: I had to do another 50% water change because the NitrIte was so high. Hopefully the NitrAte will start to appear soon.

 

[NewEngland11]

:hmm: Still No NitrAte. .................This is taking forever

 

[Davy Reynolds]

Have any of the other readings shifted 8)

 

[NewEngland11]

No My readings are ammonia 0.25, NitrIte 9.0, NitrAte 0.0 . I take it theres no more suggestions.

 

[Davy Reynolds]

Well yes I'm starting to run out. If the fish are still fine I'd stop worrying about it.

My last effort would be...
Check your pH. As you've never told us it. As ammonia effects fish at a high pH, Nitrites and Nitrates always some to become a problem at low pH's
It's just something I've always seemed to come across.