# Nitrites at 5.0 ppm



## RockstarTash (Feb 15, 2014)

10 gallon tank was set up 6 weeks ago today. I added fish 24 hours later, which now after doing research realized I shouldn't have. I currently have 4 guppies, 2 platies, 1 ghost shrimp and 3 platy fry in a breeder box in it. I did have 3 Cory cats and 2 more ghost shrimp but they have died over the past week or so.

Brought my water to the LPS to be tested 2 weeks ago (after a month of having the tank going) and they told me my nitrites were high and to come back in 2 weeks. They told me to feed the fish once every few days and to stop feeding the fry 3 times a day as well. I was scooping the leftover food out of the breeder box. Also suggested to do partial water changes and vacuum the gravel a few times a week. 

Anyways I have done what they said and decided to buy the API test kit and my nitrites are still at 5.0. I have been testing it for a couple days and did a partial water change today. Went out for a couple hours and now my tank is cloudy? 

I probably shouldn't have been doing partial water changes in the first month but I did. 
Ammonia is fine.

What do i do? This is frustrating. 


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

Do you have a filter? You need to get the tank "cycled". Buy a bacteria in a bottle product like Stability or beg a piece of used filter media from someone with an established tank. Do big water changes and use a conditioner like Prime that claims to do some "detoxifying" of nitrite. Aslo test your test by testing clean water.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Tetra SafeStart will fix this, too, but one thing to do first is change about half the water. Nitrite that high will keep the bacteria from growing well.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Put 2 tablespoons of salt in the water to detoxify the nitrite until you can change half the water.


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

You should have been doing partial water changes the first month, in the cycling process it is important to not let the levels of anything build up too much. You are probably in the last stages of your cycling process (if nitrtites are also zero alongside the amonia). 

Do a partial water change again and keep the feedings light


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

bettaguy.....tash is talking about nitrites , not nitrates..so with nitrites at 5.0 it would be in the middle of the cycle and not the end..
at this point since there are fish in the tank , i would treat the tank as if it were completely cycled...just do a weekly 30% water change and feed as normal.


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

oh i read nitrates for some reason


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## RockstarTash (Feb 15, 2014)

My Nitrites dropped to 0 a day or 2 after this post. Since then, I have tested my water everyday and the readings are the same:

Nitrite 0
Ammonia 0
Nitrate 5-10
pH 8.2

Does this mean the cycling process is finally complete? The tank has been up and running for almost 8 weeks now. 




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## weedkiller (Nov 18, 2012)

it would seem you are cycled dear boy


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## Guest (Apr 2, 2014)

Yep you are cycled


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## RockstarTash (Feb 15, 2014)

Awesome news!!! Patience is virtue. 

My fish (platies and guppies) have just been sitting at the top of the tank the past few days. They aren't gasping for air or anything but seem to be hanging out in this one corner. Is this unusual? 


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Yes. They could need more water circulation, or the pH might be too off, or they might be too hot..


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Actually, if the Nitrite was 5 the other day, they're probably still half-suffocated from that. The effects should wear off over the next few days.


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Yes, suffocated. Nitrite works in fish blood very much like carbon monoxide works in our blood, binding to blood and preventing oxygen carrying.


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## RockstarTash (Feb 15, 2014)

What can I do to lower the ph? 

I don't think its a water circulation issue. The filter creates quite the current and I also have an air bubbler which keeps the other side of the tank moving constantly.

How hot it too hot for platies and guppy's? 

One of my platies is now just sitting under the filter and has been for hours. Turns onto her side when her boyfriend guppy chases her. She usually swims away from him.

What could be going on? 


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## weedkiller (Nov 18, 2012)

naturally.... add a lump of drift/bogwood


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

83+ would be uncomfortably hot.


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## RockstarTash (Feb 15, 2014)

Water temp is between 78-80 and has been since set up. 

I found a dead platy this morning. She was swimming funny and hanging out by the filter for the past few days. I am thinking she just wasn't strong enough to survive the cycling process. She was quite skinny when I bought her. 

Tested my water this morning to ensure all was good and while nitrites and ammonia are still 0 the nitrate seems to have gone up to 10. Was 5 last week. Is this okay? 


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## Ice (Sep 25, 2006)

Your platy died because they're cold water fish. They do best in tanks of 67 - 77 degrees. High temps most likely killed him.


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## RockstarTash (Feb 15, 2014)

With 1 platy left, 4 guppies and 3 platy fry what would be the ideal temperature? 


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

try 74.....


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

And yes, your rising nitrate is good. That's what's supposed to happen. It means cycling is almost finished.


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## RockstarTash (Feb 15, 2014)

Another fish has died today and another not looking too good. Not sure what's going on. Tested the water again and it's perfect. Temp is good. Tank has been going for about 3 months now and yes I cycled with these fish. 


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## BettaGuy (May 6, 2012)

Well if you try mixing cold and warm water fish they will not thrive, so maybe it was a bit weak in the first place and then the change to a colder temp gave it the rest.


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## RockstarTash (Feb 15, 2014)

Just lost one of my platy fry which is extremely disappointing. The poor guy was doing a nose dive and could only swim in circles. He had poop stuck in him. I'm really thinking the fish have internal parasites and am going to treat with the API internal parasite treatment. Almost ready to throw in the towel... I have had nothing but issues since I started this tank.


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## weedkiller (Nov 18, 2012)

don't give in.. fish dying happens, survival of the fittest springs to mind.
like has been said mixing warm/cold water fish is not a good idea at the best of times, you have just finished a cycle and the high parameters will have some affect in one way or another, now you are cycled find your way to keep the nitrates down, either plants which can be hard work, ive never had much luck with them the same as many others so I use a home made nitrate reactor with seachem matrix,
Find the fish that are suited together, I would ask here and not in the shops as they will sell you an Oscar telling you it would be fine with your guppies, keep on top of your water changes once a week and have good filtration, and don't add chems to fix problems as they can create more problems, a good dechlorinator is all you need


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## RockstarTash (Feb 15, 2014)

Another one of my platy fry isn't looking too good. Is severely bloated and has a red spot on its side. What could this be? 


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## TheOldSalt (Jan 28, 2005)

Hmmm... well, any number of things, really. Don't panic. New tanks just tend to have problems until they're broken-in.


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## RockstarTash (Feb 15, 2014)

Honestly it's like the plague has hit my tank! That poor little fry died last night. I just hope whatever is going on in this tank that it won't transfer onto new fish. This is my frustration. Without knowing what is going on how do I treat it without starting from scratch? 

What do you meanly broken in? I thought that was the cycling process? 


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## weedkiller (Nov 18, 2012)

RockstarTash said:


> What do you meanly broken in? I thought that was the cycling process?
> 
> 
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an older tank is mostly more stable because of all the bacteria that is everywhere..
but that said it can still crash


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## SteveC (Apr 25, 2013)

I've been there up and down. Just hang in there. At one point I lost everything in my tank. But with help and advice my tank is going strong now.


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## lohachata (Jan 27, 2006)

i would suggest that staying the course is best....things will settle down in time..even accomplished aquarists lose fish....
also look for some "Aquari Sol" and treat the tank..it is good for a number of problems and may well help you..


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