I can't keep my nitrites down

[FishkeepingNewb]

I have had my tank for 1 month. I was gifted a Betta prematurely from a friend right when I got this tank. I actually got this ten because she gifted it and I knew my 40 wasn't ready yet, only being three days into the cycle from new. I have 5 ghost shrimp, 2 mystery snails, 1 nerite, and my male betta. I have a Fluval 3.0 light. I have a moderately planted tank with Valisineria, Dwarf Saggitaria, Moneywort, Octopus, Anubias nana, one Red Melon Sword and one Amazon Sword. I was struggling big time with ammonia and did more water changes than I care to remember or can count. 

 

I recently bought a Tidal 35 filter to replace the cheap little filter that came with the ten. (tetra whisper). I have both filters in there right now, so that the bacteria can grow on the new one, and the old filter can still give bacteria, even though I hate the filter. (carbon sleeve thing). 

 

Here are my water parameters.

PH 7.6

Ammonia 0 (This makes me want to dance!!)

Nitrite 2.0 😞

Nitrate 5.0

I didn't test the KH,GH, or Phosphate because once I saw the Nitrites I knew I would have to do a water change or something anyway.

 

In my Tidal 35 I have the sponge and media that came with it as well as a polishing sponge and some crushed coral for my snails, (I have very soft water, my 40 gallon says my hardness in it is now 5)

What can I do to help the nitrites go down that I am not already doing? I've included a picture of my tank.

 

Thank you everyone

 

Tianna

[Sleepy]

There is a different type of bacteria that digests ammonia and a different one for nitrite so it sounds like its still maturing the only way to try and speed it up is to add some material from an established tank or adding bottled bacteria.

[Alesha]

Here's what I've learned recently, due to having my 55-gallon crash when I needed to do a prolonged medicine cycle for sick fish.

You *must* change out water that has ammonia or nitrites IF you have fish in there. Otherwise it's deadly to them.

This makes your cycle take longer...because you are removing part of the growing bacteria with each water change.

But you have to keep doing small, incremental water changes in order to save your fish.

So, it'll take a while...days, maybe weeks...for that cycle to finish, because you have to keep interrupting it to save your fish.

I hope that makes sense. 

The water changes are the necessary evil when cycling with fish in.

Alesha

P.S. You can add nitrate-absorbing plants to the tank and that will help some. I added pothos (above the tank, roots immersed) and hornwort.) @Cory also suggested to me to not feed for a week. It almost killed me to do that. Guppies are like begging puppies every time you go near the tank! BUT it helped! So maybe that will help you too. 🙂 Best of luck and let us know how it goes. 

[Brandy]

Hi Tianna! Nice looking tank. 

You can perform water changes to help lower nitrites temporarily, but what you have is a half cycled tank. Personally I would use an ammonia binding water conditioner like Seachem Prime combined with water changes to help boost your tank thru this last stage of the cycle while protecting your fish. Your live plants will strip out ammonia fairly well but they grab nitrites a little more slowly if I recall correctly, and you want your bacteria to grow and multiply to help do that job. This means you need to leave enough food in there for them while keeping it from hurting your fish. I would aim for small (10-20%) daily water changes, and some extra prime daily until the nitrites drop to zero. Don't clean the glass or vacuum the gravel or in any way disturb the surfaces of your tank while making water changes. Some people use a bacteria booster (ie seachem stability) but there are mixed reviews on whether they help. Ultimately there is no substitute for time.

[Alesha]

2 minutes ago, Brandy said:

Hi Tianna! Nice looking tank. 

You can perform water changes to help lower nitrites temporarily, but what you have is a half cycled tank. Personally I would use an ammonia binding water conditioner like Seachem Prime

Ahhh...yes! Brandy is right. I just assumed you were adding water conditioner. Maybe shouldn't assume those kinds of things! 😉

[FishkeepingNewb]

3 hours ago, akconklin said:

I just assumed you were adding water conditioner. Maybe shouldn't assume those kinds of things! 😉

We have put Stress Coat+ in each time. When we were struggling with the ammonia, I would put Imaginarium Ammonia remover in with the stress coat+.

I went to LFS today and bought some Prime. Would you all recommend a 20% water change and add Prime? Also, I saw in the instructions it says to add it to the new water before it goes in...however we use a Python...and it goes directly into the tank. I normally add the Stress Coat+ or whatever into the water that is still in the tank before I refill it....would I do that with Prime?

 

Thanks everyone. I am really new...but I have been watching AC youtube faithfully. I just have a few things I guess I need to figure out in trial and error. This is and has been such a great platform for learning. 

[Alesha]

Personally, I'd do a 25% water change & add the Prime to the tank water as you fill with the Python.

Isn't it great to have this community to come to with our questions? 😁

[ange]

Prime will definitely help to temporarily bind the nitrogen compounds! Just note that when it does bind them, it removes oxygen from the water so it's a bit of a balancing act. If your tank has an airstone or sponge filter it's a lot easier to achieve good results.

[FishkeepingNewb]

16 hours ago, akconklin said:

Isn't it great to have this community to come to with our questions? 😁

It is! and it is so much more efficient and kinder than the fb groups out there where you can get EVERY answer out there.

[FishkeepingNewb]

10 hours ago, ange said:

Prime will definitely help to temporarily bind the nitrogen compounds! Just note that when it does bind them, it removes oxygen from the water so it's a bit of a balancing act. If your tank has an airstone or sponge filter it's a lot easier to achieve good results.

I do! I put Prime in yesterday, and I tested again last night. The nitrites were improved. I will test again later today. Thank you all again!