Newbie with a new 15G tank, a Betta, and nitrites - Help!

[flatspotting]

Alright so..... I feel like I may have been led astray by a local fish store...

1.5 weeks ago I filled my Fluval Flex 15g.

When I was buying plants/substrate and asking for help at a LFS I was told to add Seachem Prime in a double-dose the first time I fill and regular-dose when I do partial water changes. As well, I was given Seachem Stability and told to do a 3x dose for 7 days - then a regular daily dose until the bottle is empty.

They also told me in 7 days from then I could get a Betta without issues even though the cycle isn't over it would be fine - but wait to do further stocking... okay....

So... 4 days ago I got a Betta and he seems happy enough, swimming around, sleeping, eating (Using Fluval Bug Bites and having a hell of a time figuring out how much food to give but that's another issue)

I have test strips for the tank - and up to, and including the day I got the betta I basically saw zero nitrites - maybe the day before I got him I saw a bit - between 1-5ppm on my test strips hard to tell the exact colour.

I kept adding Stability and added a tiny bit of prime as well - 2 days later and now I checked my water again and I see basically 5ppm nitrites which my understanding is not good.

I have done about a 25% water change - but I still see ~2-3 ppm nitrites after that...

What should I do? I just want to make sure my betta stays safe during all this!

Should I keep doing more water changes every day? Should I add a large dose of prime? Something else entirely?

 

[Fishnerd360]

Maybe does more, but regular dosing. On my bottle for seachem stability you only had to do 1 dose everyday for 7 days. This worked out fine for me and I added my fish during day 4 and I only have nitrates. During the days you were dosing the tank, did you add any thing to help the bacteria feed(fish food)? It’s possible that the test strips aren’t reliable, API test kit will show better results but is a little more work, I recommend getting one.

 

[flatspotting]

Maybe does more, but regular dosing. On my bottle for seachem stability you only had to do 1 dose everyday for 7 days. This worked out fine for me and I added my fish during day 4 and I only have nitrates. During the days you were dosing the tank, did you add any thing to help the bacteria feed(fish food)? It’s possible that the test strips aren’t reliable, API test kit will show better results but is a little more work, I recommend getting one.

Thank you!

I should have mentioned, I made a screw-up myself I think - about 5 days into the cycling I rinsed my filter and media in tap water not knowing any better - so I think that set me back a few days. I had not added any fish food at that time - but have for the last few days while feeding the betta of course.

I can for sure get a test kit and was thinking about it anyway.


For the next few days should I just keep doing 25% water changes every day or two (Dosed with prime) and then do just regular daily stability doses in the tank (Or with the water change)

 

[Fishnerd360]

Maybe try the 25% water change every 2 days for 6 days with prime then test the water to see if ammonia/nitrite is gone and just nitrate.

 

[flatspotting]

Maybe try the 25% water change every 2 days for 6 days with prime then test the water to see if ammonia/nitrite is gone and just nitrate.

Thanks again for the replies, I will keep doing the water changes daily for the next bit until things get cycled! I was just worried being this new that I might kill my betta and was wanting to prevent that but sounds like they are pretty hardy as long as I keep on top of this

 

[tlindsey]

Alright so..... I feel like I may have been led astray by a local fish store...

1.5 weeks ago I filled my Fluval Flex 15g.

When I was buying plants/substrate and asking for help at a LFS I was told to add Seachem Prime in a double-dose the first time I fill and regular-dose when I do partial water changes. As well, I was given Seachem Stability and told to do a 3x dose for 7 days - then a regular daily dose until the bottle is empty.

They also told me in 7 days from then I could get a Betta without issues even though the cycle isn't over it would be fine - but wait to do further stocking... okay....

So... 4 days ago I got a Betta and he seems happy enough, swimming around, sleeping, eating (Using Fluval Bug Bites and having a hell of a time figuring out how much food to give but that's another issue)

I have test strips for the tank - and up to, and including the day I got the betta I basically saw zero nitrites - maybe the day before I got him I saw a bit - between 1-5ppm on my test strips hard to tell the exact colour.

I kept adding Stability and added a tiny bit of prime as well - 2 days later and now I checked my water again and I see basically 5ppm nitrites which my understanding is not good.

I have done about a 25% water change - but I still see ~2-3 ppm nitrites after that...

What should I do? I just want to make sure my betta stays safe during all this!

Should I keep doing more water changes every day? Should I add a large dose of prime? Something else entirely?

Welcome aboard

 

[The Morning]

Obviously the way the tank was cycled is not ideal. I would suggest doing a search on here for the proper method. That being said while I have never kept Bettas two of my coworkers have. They literally set their tanks up while the fish were sitting on their desks in the little cups. Added the fish same day water was added and both have had the fish for quite a long time. Bettas seem to be very hardy little fish. Good luck.