Green Flame

Well I've added the bacteria and I have been doing water changes everyday since this started (about 3-4 days ago) I will keep doing them. I'm glad about the ammonia going down to 0 but now I'm stressed about the nitrite levels.

Perhaps I will make my next water change bigger. Thank you for the advice Butterfly.

Butterfly

Welcome, I personally would at least make this next one large and vacuum deeply. Then you can go to smaller ones. what kind of bacteria did you add?
Carol

cerianthus

Your tank is too new to have dead zone (anaerobic condition) unless reaaallly overfed which I doubt.
Instead of doing massive changes at once, do smaller and more frequent water changes which will not disturb the bio activities your tank has established/establishing. Massive changes are known to do throw things off even when you use dechloruinator which can delay the cycling period. Cut down on feeding when having nitrite spike and perform small and frequent water changes and w/i two to three weeks, NO2 should diminish..

Green Flame

I have already done a water change today (about 25%) Nitrite are still at 1. Nitrates 40. Is it dangerous to leave the tank overnight the way it is for the fishes? I'm not even sure if you it's a good idea or not to do multiple water changes in a day or not.

I guess what I'm asking is : are they safe until tomorrow or should something be done now.

Butterfly

I have to respectfully disagree. The tank is seven months old and is having cycling issues. Dead beneficial bacteria, and a lack of water circulation through the substrate can easily cause this in a tank of this age. If the water isn't circulating through the substrate anaerobic(doesn't need oxygen to survive) bacterias will grow creating methane gas(thus the rotten egg smell).
It also can happen in a new tank if the substrate bed is too deep for adequate water circulation.
The gravel vacuums and water changes can't/won't hurt. The worst it will do is slow the re-cycling process a little but it will solve a much worse problem.
Green Flame - what kind of bacteria did you add?
Carol

Green Flame

Sorry I guess I never answered that question did I?
The brand is Naturbac. The bottle says "SuperBac Aquarium, Live! Nitrifying Bacteria"
The instructions said the whole bottle for a 40 gallons.

Butterfly

Tetra SafeStart(formally BioSpira) is thought to be the only live aquarium bacteria available so keep an eye on things. It won't hurt any thing but may not further your cycle either.
Carol

Drew 43920

I thought the gravel was part of the Bio-filter. Would reducing gravel reduce area of bacteria ?

Butterfly

It is part of the Bio-Filter but if it's too deep only the top layer is bacteriaized ( not sure thats a word ). It really won't hurt to remove part of the gravel if it's too deep, the alternative is to do deep cleanings at every water change.

I have one lightly stocked tank that has a deep substrate. When I set up another tank I use some of the gravel from this tank for a jump start on cycling. I make sure to do a deep cleaning everytime I do a water change and have had no problems.
Carol

Peterpiper

Nitrosomonas and Nitrobacter are the aerobic bacteria that require oxygen, they will be on the top layers of the gravel. Once the bacteria has done its job on the ammonia and nitrite, the thing thats left is water with nitrates, but this water is low in O2. The deeper down it the bed you go the less O2, that is where the anaerobic bacteria live, thay change the nitrate to nitrogen gas. The problem with BSD is that if its not done correctly you will have to much O2 going deep and the anaerobic bacteria cant live. If you dont get enough flow down deep you will get H2S, These are black areas and if released will smell like rotten eggs.... and your tank will crash very quickly.