Nitrite Problems
- Thread starter rattletrap
- Start date
Give your tank some time, it can takes weeks to months for the second colony of bacteria to grow. Just keep pumping in ammonia and the BB should show up eventually.
And fisherjean, not all water testing is done with drops and water samples. I have seen some that are dip strips. I perfer the water sample testing, but I was confused reading what you posted so trying to clear it up.
Also, you could try letting the water run for a couple days and not change it so frequently. Give the bacteria a chance to settle in and get aquanted with eachother before changing the water again
And fisherjean, not all water testing is done with drops and water samples. I have seen some that are dip strips. I perfer the water sample testing, but I was confused reading what you posted so trying to clear it up.
Also, you could try letting the water run for a couple days and not change it so frequently. Give the bacteria a chance to settle in and get aquanted with eachother before changing the water again
HAHA! I'm famous!
Be sure to check your ammonia properly as well. Ammonia bottle 2 is not a spare after you run out of one. If you don't have an ammonia tester get one. High ammonia is called ammonia poisoning and can kill your fish. High nitrites can cause gill burn and suffocate your fish. Continue the regimen until you start seeing your nitrate levels go to zero.
Reduce your feedings to once a day if you have fish.
Good luck.
Be sure to check your ammonia properly as well. Ammonia bottle 2 is not a spare after you run out of one. If you don't have an ammonia tester get one. High ammonia is called ammonia poisoning and can kill your fish. High nitrites can cause gill burn and suffocate your fish. Continue the regimen until you start seeing your nitrate levels go to zero.
Reduce your feedings to once a day if you have fish.
Good luck.
I had this same problem 4 days ago.
My water was really (poison) in my words.
So i went out to seek some advice from several people.
Because i had fish in my tank already This was an emergency. my lvl of Nitrate's were off the scale.
The cycle was going very bad. So i had to do a Gravel sweep and 25% water change and use a triple dosage of (Prime) What it does for people who might not know is it Removes Chlorine, Chloramine, Ammonia, Also Detoxifies Nitrite&Nitrate and allso help give the fish back there immune system ( Slime Coat) This was not any way harmful to my fish at all Being a triple dosage. Then i was told to add a 120mL of good bacteria over 3 day's then after all this has settled over a week to do a 10% water change. Then re-test your water.
I did all of this and my water has never been Better. But like i had been told it was only in a emergency situation.
i hope this kind of helps in a way.
My water was really (poison) in my words.
So i went out to seek some advice from several people.
Because i had fish in my tank already This was an emergency. my lvl of Nitrate's were off the scale.
The cycle was going very bad. So i had to do a Gravel sweep and 25% water change and use a triple dosage of (Prime) What it does for people who might not know is it Removes Chlorine, Chloramine, Ammonia, Also Detoxifies Nitrite&Nitrate and allso help give the fish back there immune system ( Slime Coat) This was not any way harmful to my fish at all Being a triple dosage. Then i was told to add a 120mL of good bacteria over 3 day's then after all this has settled over a week to do a 10% water change. Then re-test your water.
I did all of this and my water has never been Better. But like i had been told it was only in a emergency situation.
i hope this kind of helps in a way.
Make sure you have plenty of oxygen entering your aquarium if you overdose Prime or any other good dechlorinator. It is a reducing agent (remove oxygen). Overdosing can and will remove oxygen from you aquarium and can suffocate your fish if there is not sufficient aeration.
Also, to be clear, it does not REMOVE ammonia. It binds it so it is not in a harmful state to fish (from ammonia to ammonium). This binding lasts only a few days. While in the bound state, it is still able to be consumed by the beneficial bacteria in the aquarium, so it hopefully will give your bacteria colony a chance to catch up.
Also, to be clear, it does not REMOVE ammonia. It binds it so it is not in a harmful state to fish (from ammonia to ammonium). This binding lasts only a few days. While in the bound state, it is still able to be consumed by the beneficial bacteria in the aquarium, so it hopefully will give your bacteria colony a chance to catch up.