Nitrite Level very high in aquarium?
by Aquaboy on Tuesday, February 2nd, 2010 | 2 Comments
Nitrite levels are too high in my % gallon tank with 3 stage filtering.
I have set up this tank for two weeks.1 st week all good.But I cannot get nitrite lower in 2nd week.
I tried all these things:
1] Vacuumed gravel
2] changed water 20-30% each day.Last three days
3] Added neutralizer(Aqueon Ammonia Neutralizer ) take care of nitrites.
After all this and 1 fish gone still the same.
Any ideas what I can do fix this problem.
Other articles you might like;
- Is These Pellets Healthy + More Qs-?
- Would This Hurt The Guppy Fry?
- 90g Reef Aquarium Setup Day 5
- Ideas On Fish For Freshwater Community Aquarium?
- Work Experience Melbourne 2011?
Hi Parth,
It sounds like you have a case of “New Tank Syndrome”
It can be very frustrating, believe me I know. Check out this site for some great advice:
http://www.ehow.com/how_2183083_avoid-new-tank-syndrome.html
Matt B
Hello;
I hope you are talking about Nitrate and not Nitrite.
Nitrite is more toxic to fish than Ammonia, I know they both kill. You know about the nitrogen cycle and how it works. A clean tank and filter will not grow bacteria fast … it will grow but very slowly — a balance must be maintained here to not have the filter and gravel bed so dirty it starts to grow anaerobic bacteria.
Let your tank tank go a month if you can without maintenance … if you have a moderate fish load and good filtration — biological and mechanical … it will not harm the fish … then check the nitrite level — it should be ZERO.
A tank with only a small outside filter is not going to grow a biological load of bacteria large enough to keep a heavy load of fish. Use of underground filters with added gravel ( 2-to-4 inches ) creates a huge filter for waste and grows a large biological filter to eliminate these toxins.
I vacuum my undergravel bed once or twice a month at most and I have never seen a reading of Ammonia or Nitrite after the initial cycle period — even when adding half a dozen fish.
Nitrate can build up to high levels without being toxic to fish. Change water a little at a time and make sure the water is the same temperature and PH as the aquarium and the chlorine is removed. Chlorine and chloramine remover is a must, a moderate air pump and a couple of air stones should be used on the new water at least 48-hours before adding to the aquarium. This process removes the chlorine and helps to remove the gasses from the break down of chloramine which is clorine and ammonia. At this time add your PH-Down and the water will be conditioned when you add it to your tank.
Ammonia is released into the water by the chlorine remover ( sodium thiosulfate ) and this Ammonia is turned into Nitrite by the biological filter.
“Testing for chloramines. If you’re testing for chloramines, make sure the test kit is testing for “total chlorine” or “combined chlorine,” not for “free chlorine.” A test for “free chlorine” would misleadingly read zero in chloraminated water.”
“On the other hand, when your tapwater tests positive for ammonia, this is a sign that your water is being treated with chloramines.”