Advice Needed With New Tank.

(TL;DR at the bottom)
So a few weeks ago we bought a 125 Fluval Roma tank. It came with a filter (Fluval U3 I think) and a Fluval heater. We went to the local pet shop and bought some fine gravel substrate, along with some soil to put under the planted areas.

After setting up the tank and adding water we left it for a few days and took it back to get tested, and the nitrite was 4ppm - The shops said it might have been plants that kicked off the nitrogen cycle, or dirty ornaments/substrate, but couldn't really say what was wrong but just to do a substantial water change and to clean everything.

We cleaned everything, added water and the next day went to pets at home (as if the water was bad we didn't want to splash out on fish just for them to die) and got 6 mollys. They tested the water (but only via strips) and said everything looked fine - after adding the fish everything went well and the next week we went back to the local fish shop to get more, but they again said that the nitrite was too high - about 4ppm.

We let it cycle again for another week, having done a tank clean and partial water change, with some more API SafeStart added. Today we went to the fish store yet again hopeful of the water being fixed, but low and behold it was still at 4ppm. Ironically I did a strip test the day before and the nitrate was about 60, and nitrite at 0.2 (but then again strip tests are notoriously inaccurate - and also said my PH was something like 8.9).

They gave us a bottle of Tetra SafeStart and we added the whole thing today. I was wondering if there was anything else we could do to help the process - or anything we are doing wrong.

TL;DR:
Had a planted tank for 3 days and when tested at the local shop nitrite was 4ppm, changed water and waited a week with the levels still at 4ppm. Added 6 mollies as pets at home tested the water and was fine (but all be it was a strip test). They have done fine apart from one dying after hanging around the top of the water for a few days gasping, and am wondering if there is anything we could do to help the process or if anything is wrong (I know a fish in cycle isn't the best but we can't exactly get rid of them).

Any and all help/comments are appreciated, Images attached.

 

You should buy your own liquid test kit and do water changes as much as necessary to keep ammonia and nitrite under 1ppm and use Seachem prime to detoxify levels 1 ppm or lower. Otherwise they’ll have a high mortality rate and be prone to disease. 4ppm of nitrite is very toxic.

Those aren’t Mollies by the way, they’re Platies.

 

You should buy your own liquid test kit and do water changes as much as necessary to keep ammonia and nitrite under 1ppm and use Seachem prime to detoxify levels 1 ppm or lower. Otherwise they’ll have a high mortality rate and be prone to disease. 4ppm of nitrite is very toxic.

Those aren’t Mollies by the way, they’re Platies.

I currently have an API Nitrite Liquid test that I use along with the Strip test to gain a rough idea of what the other levels are like. The person in the shop said to not do any water changes and to just leave it as is after adding the SafeStart.
I also keep getting mixed up between Platies and Mollies - thanks for clarifying .
Isn't Tetra SafeStart doing the same thing as prime?

 

Well you’re supposed to add Safestart before the levels get out of hand. This is because safestart is bottled bacteria that get rid of ammonia and nitrite when they successfully colonize in the tank. Prime is a water conditioner that also detoxifies ammonia and nitrite. Usually when you add TSS and fish at the same time, you never even see nitrite, only a bit of ammonia, then within 2 weeks you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and X nitrates. Nitrates are then removed by water changes and plants. The employee is definitely trying to help and he’s not giving bad advice per say, but at this point you can’t just leave the levels that high, unfortunately you shouldn’t do water changes when using TSS.

 

Well you’re supposed to add Safestart before the levels get out of hand. This is because safestart is bottled bacteria that get rid of ammonia and nitrite when they successfully colonize in the tank. Prime is a water conditioner that also detoxifies ammonia and nitrite. Usually when you add TSS and fish at the same time, you never even see nitrite, only a bit of ammonia, then within 2 weeks you have 0 ammonia, 0 nitrites, and X nitrates. Nitrates are then removed by water changes and plants. The employee is definitely trying to help and he’s not giving bad advice per say, but at this point you can’t just leave the levels that high, unfortunately you shouldn’t do water changes when using TSS.

When we got the fish the Nitrites where probably at about 1-2ppm, but of course the strip probably didn't pick them up. We added API QuickStart with the fish and the water change after that which is said to "Limit toxic ammonia & nitrite by immediately establishing the filter". We got the fish the day after the water change and I remember the liquid test for nitrite being at about 0.25 which isn't ideal but not yet harmful.
We had an air freshener in the room and he suggested that it may be that diffusing into the water and killing the bacteria - and so we've removed that now and are hoping it works. If you shouldn't change water with TSS what would you suggest? Just to wait it out and see how it is for a few days and then change the water?

 

James079, first off, your tank looks great!

Are these test kits available in the UK: API Freshwater Master Kit link?

It is more accurate compared to the strips. I started to use it early on after getting my first tank and glad I did. Very helpful tool, especially to track water parameters when they change.

Tetra Safe Start is not the same as Seachem Prime.

Tetra Safe Start (also known as TSS) is a bacteria-in-a-bottle, and one of the better brands of such additive. It has beneficial bacteria suspended in a liquid that allows the bacteria to colonize in your tank. I have used it with success, but it does not cycle your tank overnight. It does though jump start the nitrogen cycle and colonization of your beneficial bacteria. You will first see a nitrite spike as the 1st kind of beneficial bacteria use the ammonia as a food source. Then the 2nd type of beneficial bacteria starts to grow and use the nitrite as a food source. The nitrites go down and then the nitrates start to bump up.

Have you tested the ammonia yet? You mentioned nitrites and nitrates.

Seachem Prime on the other hand is one of the most recommended water conditioners and that is good you are using it. I also use Prime. It is designed to remove chlorine and chloramine from tap water during water changes. It has a secondary ability to detoxifies ammonia, nitrites and nitrates.

This stuff is super concentrated compared to other brands of water conditioners, so it is more economical in the long run.

The Fluval U3 is a great in-tank filter. Although it does contain some Bio-Max (the bio-media), it may not be enough to support the colonization of the bacteria from the TSS and the naturally occurring bacteria for your bio-load.

May I suggest running an air pump to drive a sponge filter? Sponge filters are great for additional mechanical and biological filtration.

Also, to address your concern with the air freshener, do you have a lid on your tank? If so, it probably was not getting into your tank.

 

Ah there’s the ridiculously weird advice from the store employee I was expecting hahaha. That’s just not true, you can plug it back in lol, I have them in my fish room.

If I were in your situation, I would do a 100% water change, essentially restart the tank, and use TSS+ .

 

James079, first off, your tank looks great!

Are these test kits available in the UK: API Freshwater Master Kit link?

Have you tested the ammonia yet? You mentioned nitrites and nitrates.

The Fluval U3 is a great in-tank filter. Although it does contain some Bio-Max (the bio-media), it may not be enough to support the colonization of the bacteria from the TSS and the naturally occurring bacteria.

May I suggest running an air pump to drive a sponge filter? Sponge filters are great for additional mechanical and biological filtration.

Also, to address your concern with the air freshener, do you have a lid on your tank? If so, it probably was not getting into your tank.

Yes, the master test kit is available for about £25 - we currently use their nitrite one but apart from that we just use a strip test as we aren't too worried about the other levels as of now.
Considering there is a large quantity of nitrite I would presume that Ammonia is low - and we haven't had many fatalities (only the 1).

I don't really want to have many things attached to the back of the tank (I'm all about the aesthetics as you can probably tell by the amount of things trying to hide my filter ), would buying a second bag of biomax to add to the cartridge help?

As for the tank lid, we do have one, but it has two holes at the back for wires.

Ah there’s the ridiculously weird advice from the store employee I was expecting hahaha. That’s just not true, you can plug it back in lol, I have them in my fish room.

If I were in your situation, I would do a 100% water change, essentially restart the tank, and use TSS+ .

We used the entire bottle of TSS, so would have to buy some more first ahah, my only concern with that would be what to do with our current fish seeing as we don't have a quarantine/spare tank to put them in whilst we're changing it.

 

If you want to hold off on adding more equipment in the tank, I understand.

For now, wait and see if the nitrogen cycle kicks off. Give it another week or 2.

I have ZERO experience with planted tanks, and I didn't factor the plants into the equation when I originally posted.

The plants should start helping the water parameters. Give it some time and let us know in a week what is going on.

For now, do some partial water changes if the nitrites keep peaking. The PWC's shouldn't reset your tank cycling. Most of that bacteria in the TSS should find its way into your sponges and bio-max in that U3 and into your substrate.

 

If you want to hold off on adding more equipment in the tank, I understand.

For now, wait and see if the nitrogen cycle kicks off. Give it another week or 2.

I have ZERO experience with planted tanks, and I didn't factor the plants into the equation when I originally posted.

The plants should start helping the water parameters. Give it some time and let us know in a week what is going on.

For now, do some partial water changes if the nitrites keep peaking. The PWC's shouldn't reset your tank cycling. Most of that bacteria in the TSS should find its way into your sponges and bio-max in that U3 and into your substrate.

I'll keep an eye on the levels and change the water in a day or two when needs be, I've just tested the water now and after 2 minutes of shaking (the instructed time) it's at ~0.5 ppm - but then 2 minutes after being left standing (longer than recommended) it's at 2 ppm, so I don't really know what to think, and a further 2 minutes after that its at 4ppm.

I did a dip test as well and got the results attached in the , And having checked them off the back of the canister as well as scanning them they look about right.
From what I remember of the dip test I did 2 days ago, the nitrate was about 67ppm, and the nitrite was about 0.2ppm.

Would upping the temperature of the tank help (bearing in mind there is fish in there) - I've also switched off the aquarium light as apparently, that helps BB growth.

 

When treating Ich, I raised my tank temp to 84-86f for a week without any harm to my platy's.

You should be able to raise the temp slowly to 80-84f with no issues on the platy's.

That nitrate is high to me. Another water change may be in store for you.

 

That nitrate is high to me. Another water change may be in store for you.

Oh what joy

The temp is currently ~78, I'll raise it to 80 overnight then ill raise it to about 82 the next night and see how they cope with that. I'll change the water in a day or two when the TSS has settled down - should I syphon the gravel too or just leave it be?

 

light gravel vac never hurts. even if I'm just doing a PWC and not a deep clean, I will do some spot surface cleaning of the substrate.

by the way, is a Roma 125 similar to a 30-33 gallon tank?

Looking at your pics again, now I want a plant for one of my tanks! I never had a live plant before

 

light gravel vac never hurts. even if I'm just doing a PWC and not a deep clean, I will do some spot surface cleaning of the substrate.

by the way, is a Roma 125 similar to a 30-33 gallon tank?

Looking at your pics again, now I want a plant for one of my tanks! I never had a live plant before

Yes it is 33 US Gallons, 27 Imperial Gallons.

Planted tanks are great but a bit more work (not much though).
The plants need CO2 in the water which you can add using liquid once a day or a gas diffuser that you stick in the corner of your tank and top up weekly, and ideally a liquid plant food that I add once a week.

You don’t always need it but I added 1cm of soil substrate underneath 3-4cm gravel and they seem to be doing fine.

However the employees at the shop think it was the plants that kick started off the nitrogen cycle when we first got the water checked and it was 4ppm so I suppose they aren’t always great