Cannot get nitrites down

Hello,
For the last week or so I have had high nitrites and I cannot seem, to get them down. It is a 30gal tank with 4 mollies and 1 pleco. I had a mollie get a mouth fungus several weeks ago and I was advised to used Melafix. It seems ever since then the water has been wacky. Right now the readings are 7-7.2 pH, >5.0 nitrite, 0.25 ammonia, 0-5.0 nitrate. I also tested my water since I have been doing water changes. Those readings are 6.6-6.8 pH, o nitrites, 0 ammonia, and 0 nitrates. I was only doing smaller water changes until I read that larger changes are better for emergencies. So the last 2 days I have done about 40-50% changes. Along with the changes I have added awuarium salt and stress zyme. I also have a nitrozorb pouch in the filter in place of the carbon. I am at a complete loss and it just kills me to see my fish suffering.

Thank you,
Kelly

 

Just keep doing large daily water changes, and you should see changes soon

I would try to avoid chemicals as best that I could.

Good Luck!

P.S I hope you know that a common pleco gets up to 2 feet lonG!! He will outgrow your 30 gallon very soon (that is, assuming that what you have is a common pleco, lol -- you didn't specify)

 

actually ive never heard of a common pleco getting 2 feet but they will get almost 1 1/2 feet. what type of pleco is it?

 

I have definitely heard and seen them get 2 feet long. quite common actually.

Even in your case, although, 1 1/2 feet is still way to large for a 30 gallon....

 

yeah but its prolly not a common

 

that is how big commons get. But actually, we don't really know until she tells us..

 

Melafix is tea tree oil, which is an antibacterial...

It's possible that it's killed some of the good bacteria in your tank and started a minI cycle.

The only way to get rid of it is to keep up with the water changes

 

Thank you for your responses. I will continue with the water changes and hopefully it'll decline. I checked it this morning and perhaps I am hopeful but it did look just a shade lighter in the vial. I am worried about on mollie hanging around the heater near the water source. I'm not sure about the pleco....perhaps I got the name wrong. I will double check and get back. Oh, another question....I bought algae wafers (the size of a penny) for the sucker fish to eat at night and if I don't hide it the mollies try to eat it. Is that normal and how can I prevent it.

 

It might be kind of tough to hide the wafers from the platys....they like a little algae now and then....I know my swordtails gobble them up!

 

It is definitely a pleco but not sure which kind. It is only about 2-21/2" right now. I guess I will worry about tank size later...providing I get the water situation fixed. I truly enjoy the fish tank and once I get the routine figures out to keep water optimal I would difinately consider larger and/or another tank. I was debating whether to remove some gravel to help with getting rid of whatever is causing high nitrites. Is that a good idea and if so, should I take the fish out while I do it since it'ss stir stuff up and make water cloudy.

Sorry about all of the posts...I keep thinking of more questions!! Should I keep the light off, or at leats on for a shorter period. Also, how about additional aeration (like an air stone) for addition of O2. As you can tell, I will do anything to help these fish.

 

Your tank sounds like it is still going through the cycle. This could account for your fishies feeling a little under the weather How long has it been set up?
I would discontinue all chemicals except dechlor for now. It's really hard to tell how your tank is doing if there are other chemicals in there
Continue with the partial water changes (you fish will love you for them) and be patient. Since you are showing some Nitrates it sounds like you won't have long to wait.
As for the pleco - at any size they are heavy waste producers and will require diligent water changes and tank maintenance.
For lights- about 10-12 hours is fine maybe 14 if you have live plants.
Just my two cents worth.
Carol

 

I'm not sure if you are already doing this, but you can try putting the algae wafers in when the tank and the room lights are off. The other fish shouldn't be able to find it, But plecos are nocturnal and have very good night vision

 

The tank has been set up for about 2 months. I had a molllie with a mouth fungus and was advised to used Melafix to treat the water and ever since then (about 3wks) everything has been wacky and I havn't been able to get on track.

 

How did you get the Melafix out after teh treatment was over?
Carol

 

I replaced the carbon filter and did multiple water changes.

So....nitrites are still high....but (and this might be my imagination) the vial looked a shade lighter this am. The mollie that was hanging by the heater near the top is now head standing near the bottom or when she can is using one of the tank ornaments to help he stay still. Last night was the first she did not eat. I know this is a seroius sign for her. Is there anything esle I can do for her now? ??? The other 3 mollies, 1 mollie baby and 1 pleco all seem fine so far.

 

Hello! I recently had the same problem, and after multiple WATER changes (don't touch gravel) and Amquel +(plus), my levels started to decrease! The good thing about the Amquel is that it makes the nitrite levels go down and retains the "food" portion of it for the good bacteria. I did 3 doses and 4 water changes (50% the first day, and 25% all the other days) and it helped me get over the toxic levels, tank finally cycled, and now it's still zero and I haven't had to add anymore! The Nitrosorb will (in time) absorb the nitrites but then the bacteria have nothing to eat! I found the Amquel + to work well and fast (I tried the pouch too, no fast results). But I needed fast because my fish were on death's door; I had already lost one and my nitrites were well over 5! Everyone here has great advise; but I will say the best advice I had was the Amquel + suggestion. Good luck!

Oh, and leave the carbon filter alone. THat's another good thing I learned here; the filter has all the good bacteria, and you don't want to lose that at this stage! ;D

 

thanks for your input. nitrates are still very high but is does seem that nitrates are possibly climbing....so hopefully nitrites will drop soon. I've been doing the water changes (except last night) without adding anything anymore and I put the carbon back in the filter. The fish are starting to look sluggish but they still LOVE to eat!!
It is all very depressing so I am just prayingfor the growth of those bacteria!

 

The nitrates will climb and then level off as the nitrite falls. The key is the water changes. I've been doing 30% changes daily and have managed to keep the nitrites in check so far, keeping them at 0.5 while the nitrates have been a steady 10. All the while, the ammonia is disappearing and is now down to .25.....

 

Any luck on the nitrites?

 

Yes, my nitrites were 0.25-0.5 last night (ammonia 0-.25, nitrates 5-10). So I think I am almost there. I also think my dalmation mollie is pregnant. It is har to tell with the dalmation. When my white mollie was pregnant, I could practicaly see through her in the right light. The dalmation is the only one acting a little funny still and I am pretty sure she's prego. The pleco seems to be having a grand 'ol time after lights out. He/she is so fun to watch.

Thanks for everyone's help....it was a really stressful time for me.

 

congrats! Once you're over the hump its smooth sailing! ;D

 

nitrites were 0 last night (ammonia 0, nitrates 10 and pH 7.2)....yipee ;D How long should I wait to give my fish some new friends. they seem a little lonely since their 2 friends died.

 

I would say a week or 2 just to be sure

 

nitrites were 0 last night (ammonia 0, nitrates 10 and pH 7.2)....yipee ;D  How long should I wait to give my fish some new friends.  they seem a little lonely since their 2 friends died.

Check your water in about 3 days. Nitrates should be as close to 0 as possible........

 

It would be ideal if the nitrates were at 0, but they don't have to be. Anything below 20 is okay, but definitely the lower the better

My nitrate was at 20 for a long time, and then down to 10 and then down to 5, and now at 0. But it took 2 months to get down, and my fish were doing very well the whole time

 

I am sad to say that I think I will lose another fish possibly today. She has been very sluggish the last few days and not eating and breathing very heavily and shaking this am. I am assuming it was the nitrites (and lack of O2)that did it. Even thought the water has been good the last few days I don't think she was able to recover the damage. However, I am not sure. I noticed a little red dot in each eye saturday and she has been hiding. There are 2 other adult mollies and a baby mollie that seem to be doing well and the pleco is happy as can be. Besides the water change, should I treat for parasites as a preventative in case there is something I am missing. I would prefer not to lose anymore now that I have ok levels! Uggh....My tank is a tall 30gal with a top filter. Do you think perhaps there isn't enough O2? Should I get some aeration?

 

Of course anything below 20 is best. Mine are at <5....barely registering. But I had also been doing daily water changes until the cycle completed. Ideally you want 5 or less. By having them at 0 it gives you a cushion should something go wrong.

 

I agree- but I don't think that she should have to wait until her nitrates are at 0 to add fish. It's not really necessary. As long as they are below 20

 

Oh no, I didn't mean to imply that....if I did.....

 

Oh I think I jumped the gun a little, lol -- I looked back at what you said, and you said "as close to 0" I thought you said "at zero." LoL so after the debate (which was my fault) we end up having the same opinions anyway, lol.

I apologize -- I'm a weirdo :

 

Okay here's everything:
I'm doing a fishy cycle....sorry I didn't know about the fishless cycle when I started. 55 Gallon.

At the start of the third week I started to get some consistant ammonia @ .25-.50 before a water change . Couple days later I added Bio-Spira for up to 90G to the tank. 3 days later 0 ammonia and about .50 nitrite. My Ph is always steady at 7.8.

4th week nitrite still pretty steady @.50 nitrates now at 10. Although the nitrite and nitrate would be higher, I've been doing 25% or more water changes to keep the nitrites down.

5th week added a smaller batch of Bio-Spira for 30g. I thought this might give me a little boost.

Now 6 and 7 weeks into it nitrites out of control. I have had to do a couple 50% + water changes when the nitrites get up to 2.0 or more over night. I'm having to do water changes daily now. Ammonia is still at 0.

I pretreat my water with Aquasafe. I even let it sit for a day or more when I can (obviously I can't do that when I have to do back to back water changes). I have two power filters 1 Whisper 60 with extra bags of ceramic rings in it, and a Penguin Bio-Wheel 150 with a bag of ceramic rings in it too. What else can I do?

 

you sound like me when I began....when you add bio, you aren't suppose to test or water change for 7-10 days...you are almost there tho...dont give up and just let the bio spira do its job....patience is something I learned the hard way like you are about to do ..goodluck!

 

I know it is Sooooo hard to do, but when using bio-spira, the directions say NOT to do water changes.....Because the bacteria go into your tank in suspension, they are floating in the water while they are establishing the colonies in your filter/on decorations/in gravel.......So if you do water changes, you flush some of the bacteria away.....You don't know how this will affect your cycle, but you have slowed it down by doing water changes.

Please read the link to calinb's long posts on the subject. He contacted bio-spiras manufacturer to get full details on water changes and use of Prime, while cycling with bio-spira.....it explains everything.



As far as what to do now, well your cycle will continue, and if you keep up the water changes now that you are slowly reproducing bacteria, it will take awhile to grow enough bacteria to process the nitrites, but it will happen.

 

I know it is Sooooo hard to do, but when using bio-spira, the directions say NOT to do water changes.....Because the bacteria go into your tank in suspension, they are floating in the water while they are establishing the colonies in your filter/on decorations/in gravel.......So if you do water changes, you flush some of the bacteria away.....You don't know how this will affect your cycle, but you have slowed it down by doing water changes.

I did wait 6 days before I did a water change the first time. The second time I didn't because the nitrites were way too high.

 

well...only thing I can say is when I did my 75 gallon, it wasn't fishless either ...I waited the full 10 days, with still ammonia and nitrite reading just barely..so I skimmed 50% water off the top so not to disburb the rocks or decorations ...bacteria forms on those things and in your filter media not inthe water...so Id continue with just water changes after the 10 day period from the last addition of bio, other than that it just takes patience...goodluck

 

You can dose 1 tsp aquarium salt (non-iodized) per 20 gallons to help the fish deal with the nitrites. Once your nitrites get under control, discontinue the use of the salt.

 

You can dose 1 tsp aquarium salt (non-iodized) per 20 gallons to help the fish deal with the nitrites. Once your nitrites get under control, discontinue the use of the salt.

I actually have been putting API Aquarium Salt in with my water changes for the last two weeks. I forgot to mention that I guess. Sorry.

I think the problem is solved.

I ran into a guy at Petland yesterday, not an employee. He has been keeping fish for 20 some odd years. He told me I am feeding too much right now. I feed them 2 times a day. He said to try feeding just once a day for a little while. So yesterday I fed them once in the morning. This morning my nitrites only went up to 1.0 overnight not 2.0 or higher like they've been doing. I will test again tonight. I wonder if this was just a coincidence or if it worked that fast.

 

when did you add your last batch of bio?

 

when did you add your last batch of bio?

Over two weeks ago.

 

Over two weeks ago.

how are the readings as of today?