# Nitrite levels



## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Hey guys. I am fairly new to the fish hobby. 

My water has been cloudy for about a week and a half, and during this time it has had three 15% water changes but has not cleared at all. The tank is about 3.5 weeks old, so I think it is just cycling, but I wanted to make sure.

*Tank setup*
Age: 3.5 weeks
Size: 10 Gallons
Water: Freshwater with 1 Tbsp of salt
PH: 7.0
Nitrites: 3.3mg/l
Temp: 83.7°F
Fish: 
-4 neon tetras
-4 zebra danios (3 glofish, 1 regular)
-2 african dwarf frogs
-1 black molly
-1 ghost catfish
-1 snail

I was very sure to make sure all the substrate was completely cleaned before putting it in the aquarium. The decorations were all aquarium safe. Although one of them looks to be hand made from ceramic (I got it at a local pet shop). I have an Aquaclear filter that is rated to work for tanks up to 30 gallons, but it is turned down to prevent a violent current. 

Also I know the tank is a bit small for that many fish, but I do plan to get a bigger aquarium as soon as my budget allows it.

I only bought the NO2- and the PH testers because that's what the guy at the pet store told me to buy. On second thought, I probably shouldn't have listened to a guy who told me he had 45 fish in a 10 gallon aquarium at one time.  The point is, I have no ammonia or nitrate values to offer. 

Anyway, will this cloudiness clear up?
If so, when?
Am I feeding them too much maybe?
Is my nitrite levels a big worry?

Thanks for the help!


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## Guest (Aug 1, 2009)

Bml,

please read up on Cycling on the forum. its listed under the General Freshwater board. i think ur tank is still cycling. ideal readings for a tank outta be 0 Nitrite and Ammonia. the cloudiness u are observing could be a bacteria bloom that is trying to establish its self. 

you would need an NH3 and NO3 test kit as well and fast. 

a lot of people use Danios to cycle the tank and should be fine. the other fish i am worried about. Mollys and Neons are just way to delicate to handle anything above the normal level.

Please read up on the cycling process ASAP.


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Thanks, I did read up on the cycling process. The neon tetras and the black molly are acting fine right now, so hopefully they will survive the cycle since I dont have an established aquarium to put them in to protect them. Is there anything I can do to make it easier for the more delicate fish to survive the cycling?

I will buy a Nitrate and Ammonia test kit as soon as I get off work today.


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

OK I did those tests today.

PH: 7.2
Ammonia: .25
Nitrate: 10


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Water seemed to clear up today!

I tested again after water change:

PH: 7.2
Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrites: 1.0
Nitrates: I think between 20 and 40 (I have a hard time reading the Nitrate colors)

Since I have never cycled a tank before, do you guys mind if I use this as sorf of a daily log for a while, and if you guys see anything abnormal you will let me know? I would greatly appreciate it.


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## COM (Mar 15, 2008)

You're not out of the woods until the nitrites are trace / unreadable.


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## Guest (Aug 2, 2009)

i agree with COM.....sure keep us posted. one of will be able to wlak u through.


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Tested again today

PH: 7.2
Ammonia: Between 0 and 0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 15 ppm

Tank water is clear


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## Guest (Aug 4, 2009)

Your nearly there. just wait till the ammonia drops of the scale as well.


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Thanks, I'll let you know tonight what the levels are.

BTW, when will it be safe to clean the filter. So far I have only changed the chemical filter in my Aquaclear 30. I left the mechanical and biological filters to make sure I didn't clean out the bacteria. The mechanical one is starting to look kinda dirty, I don't see any difference in the biological one, and I don't think I ever will. But when can I rinse out the mechanical one?


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## Toshogu (Apr 24, 2009)

i'd wait until the cycle finishes. That or pick up a bottle of Seachem Stability. Then you can do what you want and not have to worry to much about messing the cycle up.


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

How would I use Seachem at this stage in the cycle? I think that I will probably just leave the mechanical filter in there until the cycle finishs. The pump doesn't seem to have trouble and the water is clear so I think it is ok to wait a few days


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## Guest (Aug 4, 2009)

bml,

that would work fine. let the tank establish it self. there is no hurry. i clean my filter once a month.


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

OK thats good. From what I understand, the Aquaclear filters rarely need cleaning, and even more rarely do they need to be replaced. I figure its a good idea to change the chemical filter more often though, as after a few weeks it would become useless.


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## mousey (Jan 18, 2005)

here's a hint 
check the contents of the aquaclear baskets. If they appear to be floating and not on the bottom of the basket they need cleaning. I had that happen- the contents floated to the top, it started to wick the water upwards and over the back of the filter. i lost about a gallon of water into the carpet. Also keep the impeller clean. it builds up slime and if you turn the filter off to clean the media it may not start again.
I use a straightened out paper clip to restart the impeller if it won't restart itself.


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Tank stats not much different than yesterday

PH: 7.2
Ammonia: 0.25 ppm
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 15 ppm

In fact I think those are the same stats


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## Guest (Aug 4, 2009)

give it a few more days.


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## emc7 (Jul 23, 2005)

chemical filtration is nice, but not essential. Let the biology establish itself. Change the carbon when the water smells, is cloudy, or there is an oily film on the surface. In the mean time, just rinse it in waste water.


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

That's good to know. I bought a filter media bag and filled it with a premade activated carbon and zeolite mix. I will, in the future though, not replace it unless nessesary.


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

I meant to ask you guys if I could move over my aquarium to a 20 Gallon Long without resetting the cycle, but the website went down while I was typing the message. I did it anyway, and it doesn't seem to have affected the cycle. I made sure to move over EVERYTHING from my old aquarium, including water and substrate. I got the NEW 20 gal for $20 so I couldn't pass it up. 

Also, since I have more water now, is it OK for me to add the filter I used when I first started the cycle (not realizing that taking it out hurt my cycling), so that I have 2 filters running? I think I plan to have that filter run on 12 hour cycles.


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

Ammonia hit 0 today. Since I moved the tank yesterday I did not do a water change today.

Stats:
PH 7.2
Ammonia 0
Nitrites: 0
Nitrates: 10

Do I need to worry about bringing Nitrate levels down? They are not harmful to the fish, correct?


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## Guest (Aug 5, 2009)

looks like its cycled.  congrats.


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## bmlbytes (Aug 1, 2009)

YAY! I like to hear that!


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