Tinyfellows Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 Four days ago I added 5 chili rasboras and an amano shrimp to my 5 gallon planted tank which has an hob filter. My water parameters had been at ph 7.2 ammonia .25 (api test) nitrite 0 and nitrate 5 for a month before I added the fish. I am new to the hobby so I be overreacting (feel free to tell me if I am) but when I tested my water today I found that my nitrite had jumped to .25 and my nitrate had gone up to 10 ppm. I did a water change to get the nitrites down. Was this an overreaction and really just my tank leveling out with the new fish? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lefty o Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 it is more than likely the tank adjusting to the new fish. you are now adding food/fish poop to the tank , and its levels of good bacteria need a little time to get up to that level of bio load. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 (edited) Those numbers aren't horrible. The thing is, is that they can change pretty fast in a five gallon tank. So, you're right to be staying on top of it. Eventually, your ammonia level will hit zero. Then, it might take a week for the nitrite level to get there. Cory, our forum sponsor, has said that 0.5ppm (for ammonia and nitrite) is the point to stay below. Only my opinion. Edited March 4, 2021 by Frank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElTigre Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 Another important thing to note is that the bacteria you develop over time in your tank turns the ammonia in to nitrites and then into nitrates. With the addition of fish the food and poop was in the process of being converted into nitrates that's probably why you saw the nitrites register. Like @Franksaid though things can change fast in a small tank but i think you'll be fine!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinyfellows Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 Oh ok that makes sense I guess I just thought that ammonia was more or less instantly turned into nitrates since everyone talks about how important 0 ppm nitrites are. Thanks for the help guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtydave Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 On 3/3/2021 at 8:46 PM, Tinyfellows said: Four days ago I added 5 chili rasboras and an amano shrimp to my 5 gallon planted tank which has an hob filter. My water parameters had been at ph 7.2 ammonia .25 (api test) nitrite 0 and nitrate 5 for a month before I added the fish. I am new to the hobby so I be overreacting (feel free to tell me if I am) but when I tested my water today I found that my nitrite had jumped to .25 and my nitrate had gone up to 10 ppm. I did a water change to get the nitrites down. Was this an overreaction and really just my tank leveling out with the new fish? Actually liz of Aquarium co op recently made a vid and said 20 on the nitrates is perfect. Plants need nitrates. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinyfellows Posted March 6, 2021 Author Share Posted March 6, 2021 @Dirtydave yeah my nitrates could definitely be higher for the plants it was the nitrites I was worried about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirtydave Posted March 6, 2021 Share Posted March 6, 2021 3 hours ago, Tinyfellows said: @Dirtydave yeah my nitrates could definitely be higher for the plants it was the nitrites I was worried about. I guess I misunderstood. You had given the numbers on both so I thought they both an issue to you. I was just addressing the nitrates. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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