Nitrites high..

[cchase85]

I have a 20 gallon tank that has been running for about a month and a half. When I initially set it up I brought stuff from the old tank which had been established for about 6 months into it to get things to a normal level... added my fish in which are 4 danios, 1 neon tetra (don't ask), 2 platies, a swordtail, and 2 guppies.

I check the water weekly, change a bit and vaccuum out the crap in the gravel, rinse the filter stuff once a week in dechlorinated water, have an aeration stone in there to keep the water moving.

Anyway, and this I am sure has something to do with cycles and who knows what else I just don't know enough about... my nitrites are in the range of 4 to 6 ppm which is higher than I have ever seen it. In fact, never in my setting up or running tanks have I ever even seen the nitrite test be anything but 0 or just about zero. Never seen any ammonia either.

Well, I got 4 neon tetras to go with my lonely guy and 2 guppies about a week ago. The neons died within a day, the guppies within 2 days. Upon testing the water, nitrites were at 4-6 ppm. I wish I had any clue what to do though... here's the tricky part of it.

I realize that this is a high level for nitrites to be at, which is why I figure this is why the new fish died. However, none of the fish ever looked sick (except that the tetras always look very unhappy when they are first introduced into their new home and these never really looked like they got over that), my old fish are all happy, colorful, hungry, and don't exhibit any problems at all. Even the lonely neon tetra is always up and about, doesn't look starved for air, color is good, all of the fish have good appetites, good manners and are generally the way I expect them to be. I figured at first, neons are iffy usually anyway, maybe they just weren't good to begin with. However, with a nitrite reading like that, and then the guppies going soon after, I can't believe it is anything BUT the nitrite that killed these guys, as everything else seems good. pH is good, nitrates are in the 0-20 or thereabouts, everything on the test comes out fine, except nitrites. Water is clear...

I want to know how to get the nitrites to come down, because I am afraid, even though the fish in there are all happy, that they are going to die because there's no way it can be doing them any GOOD from this...

 

[Panther28]

The best way to reduce the nitrite level is just by doing a 25% water change. Other people might have some other way. But this is what i would do.

 

[SANND]

The only way I know of to get rid of nitrites is with nitrates and/or water changes. I would do a couple of water changes in a row to bring the nitrites back down and not add anymore fish until it stays to zero on it's own. Is there a chance that your water source could have high nitrites?

 

[FroggyFox]

It sounds to me like you added too many fish too quickly for your bacteria to catch up. Since the tank is relatively new, I'd think your bacteria colony is immature at best. If you ever see your ammonia or nitrites up above 1 or so you need to do water changes to get the level back down. A nitrite spike that big would likely kill more weak fish like neons and guppies very quickly.

I would do some water changes (say 50% then wait and see what the level is after an hour or so...if its still above 1 then do another one) and then just let the tank recover for a few weeks before trying to add anymore fish. When you DO add more fish, pick a couple...like if you're going to add some more guppies, add guppies. Then wait at least 2-3 weeks before adding more fish to allow the bacteria colony to catch up.

 

[Endl98]

this sound so familiar with me. i lost 30 cardinals in 2 weeks. because of high nitrites. i had a faulty master kit. but big water changes and a dose of a product called PRIME will quickly reduce everything bad. you can add up to 5 times the dose safely. it will dechlor and reduce amm, nitrates and nitrites as well as a few other bad things. good product to have in a fix.
so far i havent lost another fish.

 

[TheFighterFish]

Prime is a dechlor which means it will temporarily lower the levels of nitrate, nitrites, and ammonia. This does not mean however that we should use it in exchange of a PWC.

I would say do the suggested water changes mentioned above and then retest. Retest for water parameters and it will probably lower a few ppms.

I think by washing out the filter material every week, some of the beneficial bacteria may be weakened/lost. I would say refrain from this and maybe wash every month.

Good luck.

 

[Jayrod7]

i do 15% water changes every saturday and my levels usualy stay about the same.

 

[YahooFishKeeper]

i do 15% water changes every saturday and my levels usualy stay about the same.

the same as always, or the same as
cchase85's?

Prime is a dechlor which means it will temporarily lower the levels of nitrate, nitrites, and ammonia.

dechlor doesnt do that. it just takes out chlorine.

I think by washing out the filter material every week, some of the beneficial bacteria may be weakened/lost. I would say refrain from this and maybe wash every month.

the bacteria isnt easily dislodged, and swishing around the media will have little if any effect.

i would do a 75% WC because those levels are really high. retest after an hour, and if they still show the same, it is probably your test kit that is screwed up. you might take a sample of water to your local fish store and have it tested to see if it reads the same. if your other fish are eating and apear healthy, and they dont have red gills, i would assume your nitrites really arent that high.

 

[Limi310]

dechlor doesnt do that. it just takes out chlorine.

Prime removes Chlorine, Chloramine and Ammonia and Detoxifies Nitrite and Nitrate. It detoxifies Nitrite while still allowing it to be used by the biofilter, thus not interupting the cycle.

 

[YahooFishKeeper]

but regular dechlor doesnt.

 

[Jayrod7]

the same as always, or the same as
cchase85's?
stays the same 99% of the time, spikes when i put new fish or do a 50% change.

 

[YahooFishKeeper]

levels go up when you do a WC?

 

[rohnds]

SeaChem prime nor any other product on the market does not convert nitrites into N2 or any other harmless product. SeaChem Prime does convert Nitrites to Nitrates using genus Nitrospira bacteria present in the product.
Therefore, the only way to remove NO3 from you tank is via regular water changes. There is another (relatively unknown) methods used by SW aquarist called denitrator. This require sending NO3 ladden water through chamber and removing any O2 from the water. Lack of O2 allow the nitrifying bacteria to convert NO3 to N2 gass.

The presence of ammonia (NH3) or Nitries (NO2) in your water means that you simply don't have a bacteria (genus Nitrosomonas and genus Nitrospira) colony established in your tank or you are still in the process of cycling the tank.

Rohn

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Prime removes Chlorine, Chloramine and Ammonia and Detoxifies Nitrite and Nitrate. It detoxifies Nitrite while still allowing it to be used by the biofilter, thus not interupting the cycle.

Absolutely correct.

SeaChem prime nor any other product on the market does not convert nitrites into N2 or any other harmless product. SeaChem Prime does convert Nitrites to Nitrates using genus Nitrospira bacteria present in the product.
Rohn

Absolutely incorrect. Prime does not contain bacteria for converting nitrite to nitrate. Prime is a Dechlorinator that removes chlorine and chloramine and ammonia, as well as detoxifying Nitrite and Nitrate. It does not remove them, just temporarily renders them harmless to the fish.

 

[Endl98]

straight off the back of the bottle

1 capfull for 50gallons removes approximately .6mg/l ammonia, 3mg/l chloramine, or 4mg/l chlorine, to detox nitrite in a emergency use up to 5 times the dose.

prime detoxifies nitrates and nitrites .
will not inpact ph , also provides the production of a slime coat.

excellent in a emergency , along with large water change.

 

[Lonewolfblue]

Large water change is the best defense, Prime is a close 2nd.

 

[rohnds]

Prime does not contain bacteria for converting nitrite to nitrate.

Prime
Seachem Water Conditioners

as well as detoxifying Nitrite and Nitrate.

I would like to know how it detoxify NO3 and NO2. Is there some kind of magic formula.

Rohn

 

[YahooFishKeeper]

Prime
Seachem Water Conditioners


I would like to know how it detoxify NO3 and NO2. Is there some kind of magic formula.

Rohn

How Prime works to detoxify Nitrites/ates etc. all thanks to a simple yahoo search.

 

[rohnds]

I think you better read that article carefully.
From that article,

The detoxification of nitrite by Prime (when used at elevated levels) is not well understood from a mechanistic standpoint.

In another word author is unable to explain how NO3 is converted to less harmfull substance.

The most likely explanation is that

Most likely explanation!!! If the process is so well know, why does the author has to especulate bu saying by saying, "most likely explanantion ....".

Two other possible scenarios are reduction to nitrogen (N2) gas or conversion into a benign organic nitrogen compound.

Another possibility and another especulation. I explain this already in my earlier post how NO3 is converted to N2 gas. It require state of depleted O2 state. Unless the water is sent through a some kind of a denitrator unit, you will never achieve this state of complete lack of O2. You aquarium water is ladden with O2 .... as to be in order for fish to survive.

I wish we had some more "concrete" explanation, but the end result is the same, it does actually detoxify nitrite.

In another word, author doesn't have a scientific explantion, but somehow it works ... like I said, magic.

The most likely explanation is that the nitrite is removed in a manner similar to the way ammonia is removed;

NH3 is converted to NO2 by a bacteria called Nitrosomonas while NO2 is converted to NO3 by Nitrobacter. NO3 unable to removed from water except the way I have stated ... that is why everyone recomend water changes. If this product works the way it suppose to then there is absolutely no reason for water changes.

i.e. it is bound and held in a inert state until such time that bacteria in the biological filter are able to take a hold of it, break it apart and use the nitrite.

He suggesting (not stating a fact) that somehow SeaChem has properties to bound H ion to NO3 and creating NH4 (he cannot be suggesting NH3 ... for obvious reasons). This NH4 is then converted to NH3 and then Nitrosomonas convert that NO2. What is is describing is a proverbial infinite loop.

In my website I have written a good article on how to evaluate contents of internet pages and article. Very interesting article that might interest anyone who like to use the internet as research tool.

Rohn

Rohn

 

[rohnds]

Do you really want know how NO3 can be converted to NH4, read the articles given below.

It certainly doesn't happen with the magic ingredient used by SeaChem Prime and certainly no the way that article describe the process. This product might be able detoxify NH3 by converting it to NH4 and detoxify NO2 by converting to NO3. But until someone can explain to me (using valid chemistry) how NO3 is converted to N2 gas or to NH3 in aquarium water, this discussion is closed ... this is why I hate posting on these forum.


Capacity for Denitrification and Reduction of Nitrate to Ammonia in a Coastal Marine Sediment

The reduction of nitrate to ammonia by Clostridium welchii

Truth Shall Set You

Rohn