bdiamonds9

I am having a very hard time with my tank. I have done everything that I am supposed to (according to the readings) but I cannot seem to get my nitrite levels to where they are undetectable. I have emptied my tank and am attempting to cycle my tank without any fish. Is there a way to get the nitrite levels to 0 or do I just have to wait longer. Also, should I have a live plant in there? Would that help? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

COBettaCouple

unfortunately, the nitrites is the longest part of the cycle for us.. what are your readings now? how often do you 'feed' the tank and do you change the water any? do you have substrata in the tank?

cichlid seeker

A live plant might help along with some medications to get the levels down.

COBettaCouple

you'll want to let the good bacteria bring the levels down, but a live plant would help with the nitrates.

bdiamonds9

Thank you so much for the advice... I am not real sure how to "feed" the tank.. I have been adding some fish food and some good bacteria.... the levels are right now at 3.0 for nitrites.. I will go get a plant today in hopes that might help a little.. also - is adding the good bacteria something that I should be doing or not.. Thanks

COBettaCouple

http://www.fishlore.com/NitrogenCycle.htm - check this document, especially the fishless cycle part. "feeding" a fishless tank is pretty much taking the role of the fish giving off waste (ie: ammonia). rotting flakes or pure ammonia drops every 12 hours is good.

how are you adding good bacteria? when we started out, we bought a product called 'cycle' and it actually had a negative effect on our fish tanks cycling. BioSpira and Zymbac FW are the only store products i know of that are any good. You can also get good bacteria from some substrata or piece of the filter sponge out of a cycled tank.

bdiamonds9

I have been using StressZyme... I was told at the pet store that it is helpful in establishing the good bacteria...thank you so much for the help... I am not real sure what the substrata is but I will ask about it and certainly try it... thanks again

COBettaCouple

what i've learned about the nitrogen cycle is that you want 2 particular types of bacteria that have 15-hour life cycles.. which is why BioSpira is refrigerated. the substrata is whatever you have for the bottom layer in your tank - gravel, rocks, sand, marbles. the main homes for good bacteria are in your filter sponge and in the substrata of the tank so if you took a piece of a sponge or some substrata from a tank that was cycled (keeping it wet), you would be taking good bacteria to put into your tank and speed up the growth of big colonies of them.