Nitrites

[mcsully]

Hey everyone:

Short story, hopefully I get a quck answer

Last week I got home, and all my fish in my 60 gallon tank, except 1, died (nitrite was .50). I cleaned out the water and tank. I added about 15 gallons of water from my ten and 55 gallon tank to the 60 gallon tank. Filled the rest up with Tap water put the coniditioner in.

I'm still getting a .25 Nitrite reading and it won't go down. Everything else looks great.. And to be honest, I have already refilled this tank twice (120 gallons) and have no idea how to get this tank going..

What is going on?

 

[Big Vine]

Sorry to hear that.

My main suggestion would be to pull out all plants and decor, and then swish them around in a bucket of old tank water...just to make sure they're clean and that nothing is trapped inside/at the base and rotting.

While this stuff is out of the tank, I'd vaccuum the substrate as much as possible. Cover the entire surface area, and really dig down into it---just continue to hover over every single spot until 90%+ of the crud (which becomes visible as you suction it into the vaccuum nozzle) has disappeared.

I'm guessing that this will, hopefully, remove whatever it is that's in your tank that might be causing this.

Also, take out the filter media and rinse it out in the bucket of old tank water as well. If there are any "deep" or hard-to-reach areas in your filter (not sure what you're using), then be sure to check those for anything that might be trapped and rotting in there.

Big Vine

 

[mcsully]

Thanks for the reply and advise..

I'm on my 3rd time cleaning this out and have taken everything (except gravel out). To the looks of things, I could drink out of the tank. The water is that clear.

 

[Big Vine]

Did you check out the filter/filter media too? I'm sure you have, but if not, there's always the possibility that something is stuck in there. What sort of filtration system are you using?
HOB? Canister?

I've never used canister filters, but could it be that something is stuck in one of the intake or outflow tubes? (just a shot in the dark )

Big Vine

 

[mcsully]

The filter is new and the media is being cleaned as we speak

 

[Big Vine]

Hmm...well then, mcsully...I'm at a loss.

My last suggestion would be to test the parameters of your tap water, but I suppose that wouldn't really help...
After all, you have other tanks up and running that seem to be doing just fine, right?

Sorry I can't help.

Big Vine

 

[mcsully]

Words of encouragement are helpful! and you are helping..
I just cleaned it and finished putting everything back in (decor) after rinsing them off for 20 minutes in a shower..

 

[Salty Fishes]

Its possible that you have a bad test kit. You could always try having your water tested at an LFS. Test kits can be notoriously inaccurate.

But of course, that doesn't explain why the fish would have died then.

 

[Seleya]

Be careful that you haven't OVERcleaned. You may also be having a minicycle from that as well. Don't forget, your tank was relatively newly re-established from the 20 which may have contributed to your initial problem. Since you've cleaned quite a bit, including washing decor in the shower which probably wiped out any beneficial bacteria which may have lived on it you may need to wait it out for a week and see where it goes (keeping an eye on the parameters and the fishie)

 

[mcsully]

Sounds like a plan Seleya. Thanks everyone for the advice!

 

[mcsully]

If you can believe it, the 55 gallon i brought up from NJ had a leak. Things couldn't get worse. I had to dump my fish that was in the healthy 55 gallon into the tank of death, 60 gallon. I just did the readings and the ammonia is 0 but the nitrite is .50

 

[Seleya]

How bad a leak? Where? Were you able to find the cause? Before you despair, get some aquarium sealant and try to find the leak. Keep you gravel etc wet while you're sorting this out. Let us know what you find. We may be able to get water back into the tank tonight!

 

[mcsully]

Seleya thanks for the offer of help. I couldn't find the leak and had to go a different direction. When my friend gave me the tank, the hood was broken so I went out and got a new one for 80 bucks. Well with the tank leaking, I found PETSMART was selling a 55 gallon for $100. So I rushed over there, transfered the water and stuff to the new tank.. Now that puppy is up and running and tests come clean

PROBLEM is my 60 gallon still has nitrites that are in the range of .25... I cleaned this thing 4 times now.. I am lost..

 

[Timbo]

I think you may be re-cycling... How deep is the substratae. If it is too deep (Over an inch) you can find that oxygen can't get into the sand / gravel / whatever. then anaerobic "Bugs" start to breed and these can cause difficulties .

 

[mcsully]

I think you may be re-cycling... How deep is the substratae. If it is too deep (Over an inch) you can find that oxygen can't get into the sand / gravel / whatever. then anaerobic "Bugs" start to breed and these can cause difficulties .

Okay I'm a noob.. What do you mean? Bugs?

 

[pigs_fly]

Ya, from what I am coming to understand about cycling, etc. it sounds like you have a mini-cycle working right now....i would take everyone elses advice and not panic, just let your tank work for a week or so - of course testing your water, etc. Good luck!!!

 

[FroggyFox]

honestly...if you're not cycling (ie the nitrites aren't going up gradually) then I found that usually its from not vaccuuming the gravel well enough. I'd probably leave it alone for a couple days and then next time you want to do a water change spend most of the time vaccuuming the gravel. Make sure you're not overfeeding too.

Sometimes the answer with your tanks is to not overthink it and just see if the tank will even itself out if you let it 'rest'. Even though .25 is not ideal, its not something to panic over IMO.

Have you tested your test kit? If you do a nitrite test on your tap water you should be able to get a bright blue 0 nitrite reading (if you have the AP kit...its blue lol dunno about others) If you get a .25 reading on your tap water I say there's something funky with your test kit...because tap water shouldn't have nitrite.

 

[FroggyFox]

Okay I'm a noob.. What do you mean? Bugs?

Anaerobic bacteria.

 

[homebunnyj]

bacteria that live in non-oxygenated environment and produce toxic by-products

 

[mcsully]

Thanks for the replies. The test kit is okay because the other two tanks comes back perfect.
I have cleaned and vacuumed the gravel a lot.
I will take everyone's advise and just let it go for a week.