I keep having nitrite spikes and have no clue what’s going on. I need some help. To give some info; it’s a 300 gallon tank, been up and running for 7 months, was properly cycled to begin with (fishless cycle). Sometime in February I had a mini cycle after treating with meds. I had an ammonia spike (.25-.5 ppm) that lasted for about a month, once that went to zero all was well, than about two weeks later had a nitrite spike(.25 ppm) that last for about a month as well. The nitrite eventually went to zero but I’ve had more than a half of dozen nitrite spikes over the last few months. When the nitrite spikes the ammonia is always at 0, Ammonia has stayed at 0 since the one spike in February.
I’ve checked the tap water and it l looks fine (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrates) but the nitrite does seem to spike sometimes after a water change. Yesterday I did a 20% WC and today have a nitrite spike. I also treat the water with prime and lately I’ve been treating the new water for two times the amount added just to make sure I’m getting rid of all the chlorine. I also let the water sit in trashcans overnight to let it gas out as the tap ph is high. I perform a WC every week. I also have two other tanks that I do water changes in at the same time and have had no issues what so ever in those other two tanks.
So it seems like it’s not the water and something off in the 300 gallon but I don’t know what. For filtration I have 2 FX6’s, 2 api filstars XP XL, and 2 large sponge filters. All filters are loaded with bio media!! My bio load is light as I’ve been in the process of stocking it. 1 6” Bolt catfish, 1 5” Pictus catfish, 5 3.5” Clown loaches, and 4 red hooks.
My water P’s as they are right know: 0 ammonia, .25-.5 nitrite, 15 nitrate, ph. 8.1, temp 80
Any ideas would be much appreciated as I’m loss for what is causing the nitrite spikes
Thanks!
I’ve checked the tap water and it l looks fine (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 10 nitrates) but the nitrite does seem to spike sometimes after a water change. Yesterday I did a 20% WC and today have a nitrite spike. I also treat the water with prime and lately I’ve been treating the new water for two times the amount added just to make sure I’m getting rid of all the chlorine. I also let the water sit in trashcans overnight to let it gas out as the tap ph is high. I perform a WC every week. I also have two other tanks that I do water changes in at the same time and have had no issues what so ever in those other two tanks.
So it seems like it’s not the water and something off in the 300 gallon but I don’t know what. For filtration I have 2 FX6’s, 2 api filstars XP XL, and 2 large sponge filters. All filters are loaded with bio media!! My bio load is light as I’ve been in the process of stocking it. 1 6” Bolt catfish, 1 5” Pictus catfish, 5 3.5” Clown loaches, and 4 red hooks.
My water P’s as they are right know: 0 ammonia, .25-.5 nitrite, 15 nitrate, ph. 8.1, temp 80
Any ideas would be much appreciated as I’m loss for what is causing the nitrite spikes
Thanks!
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