Nitrite Spike in new tank

  • We are currently upgrading MFK. thanks! -neo
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ck986

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Dec 5, 2010
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I recently upgraded from a 55G to a 75G tank and moved over the filer, substrate, and half the water. The tank was pretty much cycled. I tested the water stats and was reading 0 for Amonia/Nitrite. My tank seemed cloudy though and I started to vacume the gravel as my Fluval 405 didnt appear to cut it anymore. I think I vacumed too much though as I checked my water stats a few weeks later and had a nitrite spike. My nitrite levels were .03mg p/L not high but not 0 either. I have been doing water changed over the last few days changing about 15G per day. My water is still some what cloudy, a little milky looking and my nitrite levels are about the same, but the color on the test has gotten light closer to the 0 range.

How do I go about getting crystal clear water? I have a fluval 405 with two fine cleaning sponges and 4 buckets of bio beads. I have 18 fish
15 African Cichlids, 2 two inch bala sharks and a 4-5" tinfoil barb. The largest cichlid is 2.5-3" and the smalles is 1 1/4".

The tank tem is 82" PH is about 7.8 - 8", Amonia levels are 0 and nitrite is .03mg/L. I havent tested nitrite as I figure its 0 with all the water changes I have been doing.

I appreciate any help!!
 
First off what kind of test kit do you have is it liquid or strips? Next you have a mix that's not going to work africans should be in a species only tank because they are really aggressive. Third I would say you overstocked, also once those balas and barbs get to adulthood there going to be to big for that tank they need a 6 foot tank miniumum.

Posted on mobile.monsterfishkeepers.com
 
I am using tetra and API liquid test kits. I also have a stick on amonia reader in the tank. I have had the majority of these fish now for 6 months in a 55g and they have all gotten along fairly well. The cichlids pick on the tinfoil barb and the bala sharks every now and then but they are pretty quick fish and can get away. I agree the bala sharks grow large, but it takes them quite a while to get to that size. I have had mine for 6 months and they have only grown an inch probably.

The cichlids may be overstocked when it comes to filtration, but definitely not tank size. If the bala sharks reach maturity or get much bigger I will probably just trade them to the LFS for some more cichlids. They are mistakes from when I first entered the hobby back in Nov. I may keep the tinfoil, really depends how big he gets.
 
It's not a matter of depending on how big they get, they WILL get too big for that tank. So, I'd either remove them now or upgrade. If you've got Africans, just stick with Africans (maybe some compatible catfish or something).
 
Sounds like a bacteria bloom. Should clear up once the tank fully cycles. I have been battling similar issues over the last 5 weeks when I upgraded my tank size. I added carbon to clear it up, it helped a little. I hooked up my UV and it took care of the cloudienss in a couple days. my nitrates and ammonia remained elevated and my PH kept dropping. I drastically decreased my feedings to just a little bit 3 x a week. I added salt and increased aeration. Did 1/3 water changes 1-2 x week to keep ammonia to tolerable level. Finally gave in a added some BB in a bottle (API Stress Zyme) and the tank cylced a week later. Good luck!
 
I decided to cut down on feedings as well. I was changing 15-20 percent of the water and my nitrites came down to zero. I stopped for a few days and tested again and they were back to .3 mg/l I was hoping it would have fully cycled by now. I am thinking of buying another fluval 405 or a 205 as it's smaller (easier for me to tuck away). I was going to put only bio balls in my current 405 and only mechanical and carbon filtration in the other 405. I was hoping not to get another one but am thinking of getting rid of the non African cichlids and buying 10 more cichlids as I have been reading that I can keep upto 30 plus cichlids in the tank.
 
Definitely won't gotta figure out the Cycle, filtration, clarity problem first.
 
You need more filtration in this tank.. If you like the fluval 405, then get another. I really like the Rena filters xp3/xp4 would be good as well. With 2 canister filters in there you should be good.

I run an Xp3 and a penguin 350 HOB on my 75 and my water stays crystal. I dont have as much stock as you but i have alot of fish :)...

I would suggest for you to keep doing the water changes and add another filter if you can.
 
Extra bio media would be the key here. I would add extra hollow ceramic rings, add a good biological supplement to the bio-media, and never rinse the sponges or bio media in tap water, add Seachem's Prime to new water which will help detoxify the nitrites (only detoxifies the nitrite, does'nt remove it) which the biological filtration will still function as it should. Worked for me for over 20 years. If you are going to buy another Fluval 405, I would set it up just like the other one. Remember keeping a good amount of bio media in both canisters will help big time. Sponge (works for mechanical and biological filtration) and bio max (pure biological) are great features for fluval filters plus other filters.
 
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