# Nitrate levels



## Fish_Fan (Nov 5, 2011)

OK so I set up my 10g tank on November 1st and around November 4th I stocked it with a dwarf, molly, and hatchet fish. I just got a master test kit with droppers and tubes a few days ago. My initial readings on 11/16/11 were a pH 7.6, Ammonia 1-2 ppm, Nitrite 5 ppm, and Nitrate 5 ppm. I just retested the water today on 11/20/11 and the results were: pH 7.6, Ammonia 0.25 ppm, Nitrite 5 ppm, and Nitrate 5 ppm. So I am waiting for the Nitrite levels to drop off and I am refilling the tank as water evaporates. I wanted to add some live plants to my tank and was wondering if it would be a good idea to do so now or wait until the cycle is complete. My fish are doing fine right now but I would really like to add some better decorations to the tank.


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## platies pwn (Nov 29, 2010)

What is a dwarf?


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## ZebraDanio12 (Jun 17, 2011)

I think he means dwarf gourami. 
Do maybe a really small water change. Just vacuum up the rocks good and add clean water. Live plants are great and keep tanks nice and clean. I have live in all mine ecept my fry tanks. I'm currently building still..so the tanks are spacey now. I have wisteria and amazon swords. They are great. Wisteria grows fasts and you can trim it and then replant what you trimmed. I'm also going to buy some dwarf hair grass, baby tears and anachrias soon. If your lighting is not extremely high go for the wisteria and amazon swords and anyother lowlight plants. Have fun


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

That nitrite reading is pretty high. You need to be extra diligent while cycling with live fish. I'd be doing a 20% water change any day you still have nitrite. It may extend the cycle duration for a bit, but it will be healthier for the fish.


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## Mikaila31 (Nov 29, 2009)

Your Nitrite level is way up in the lethal range. I would do at least a 90% WC if that was my tank. Ammonia should be below 0.5ppm and Nitrite 0.25ppm.


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## Fish_Fan (Nov 5, 2011)

I did a water change last night using 2 gallons of spring water I bought from the grocery store. I did this mostly for the gallons jugs so I could use tap water and water conditioner and let it sit out until it was at a more stable temperature. However, I put conditioner into the spring water the first time and let them sit out for a couple days and when I finally did the water change it caused my molly to die overnight. Is this because of the spring water I used?


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## Mikaila31 (Nov 29, 2009)

Fish_Fan said:


> I did a water change last night using 2 gallons of spring water I bought from the grocery store. I did this mostly for the gallons jugs so I could use tap water and water conditioner and let it sit out until it was at a more stable temperature. However, I put conditioner into the spring water the first time and let them sit out for a couple days and when I finally did the water change it caused my molly to die overnight. Is this because of the spring water I used?


No its Because your nitrite levels are in the lethal levels. Its actually impressive more fish are not dying. Water treatments like dechlor work instantly. There is no need to let the water sit.


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## Fish_Fan (Nov 5, 2011)

I am letting the water sit so I know what temperature it is at. I just tested the water again and the nitrite is still very high so I will change another two gallons out, check again, and repeat if necessary.


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

you can get the new water temperature closer to the tank water if you take some of the water out,put it into a measuring cup and place in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Then add it back into the rest of the new water. I have found that room temp water needs to be warmed up to within a degree or 2 of the tank. - preferably a bit warmer than cooler.
You can also add a bit of aquarium salt to the cycling tank to help the fish through the nitrite stage. gouramis and mollies don't mind a bit of salt- in fact they quite like it.
Adding plants will help lower the nitrite levels as well as ammonia levels.
you will also find that it sometimes takes more than overnight to get any chilled water back up to even room temperature. If your room is only 70 and the tank is 75 the temperature difference is too great. it would be like you stepping into a cold lake when you were nice and warm. Fish shock easily with water temps.

I have found that I even warm my goldfish water a bit because the tank temperature although unheated is always 2-3 degrees warmer than the water sitting out. I think this is because the water runs over a motor in the filter.


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## Fish_Fan (Nov 5, 2011)

I am using water from my bath tub and filling up gallon jugs (conditioning of course). I run the water and adjust the temperature until it is neither hot or cold to touch. I have a thermometer and heater installed in my tank. I am only changing 2 gallons at a time until the water temperature returns to normal. So far this has only lead to a 2+ degree increase once I've added the new water. I did this a few minutes ago and my nitrite levels are still too high so I will repeat once my water goes from 82 F back to 80 F which I just checked and it looks as if it has returned to normal.


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## Mikaila31 (Nov 29, 2009)

Just take out some more water and add water that is cooler. Temp does NOT have to be exact. I have larger tanks but generally when ever I change water I run a hose from the tank to the shower. I always change at least 50%. To refill I toss some dechlor in the tank then use the hose to fill directly from the shower to the tank. Temperature is 'guesstimated' as I don't have a thermometer. If it feels close to tank temp when I stick my hand into it thats good enough. 

There is no such thing as too many or too large of water changes. If any of my tanks had a 5ppm nitrite level I would seriously change almost 200% of that water. Basically drain the tank so the fish can just manage to swim, then refill, then drain and refill again. Though if nitrite got up to 5ppm over half my fish would be dead within hours. When your water is toxic the longer it stays in there the more damage your fish receive. The damage from toxins like nitrite and ammonia are for the most part permanent on a number of fish, though some tolerate it much better then others.


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## Fishpunk (Apr 18, 2011)

I live in Phoenix. In the summer I cannot get water out of the tap to be anywhere near as cool as the tanks. I just do the best I can and my fish are fine. YMMV.

Your mollies could be dying from a combination of things. First, the nitrite issues that were discussed above, and yes, adding marine salt will help the mollies overcome that. secondly, in their nitrite-poisoned weakened condition, they are susceptible to a lot of other things. You are adding spring water to tap water. What is the pH and hardness of the spring water? 

Mollies are hard/alkaline fish. (In reality they are brackish but that is another discussion.) Depending on the condition of your tap water and the spring water, you could be fluctuating the pH around. If your tap water is fairly soft, you won't have the buffers needed for a stable pH. A fish can live outside its optimal pH and hardness, but rapid fluctuations can really be hard on a fish, enough to kill it. This could be part of the reason the fish died.


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