Nitrite Spiked hard tonight

[moxxommox]

I went away for a while, the Mrs was in charge of feeding the little idiots (O's) and the nitrite level spiked to hard its really deep red, it was a newish tank, it was >1 but I managed to bring it down to 0.1 (or there abouts) and now it's back to >1 I've been doing 30-40% water changed, the Ammonia has droped down to 0 again (was 1.0) but that's under control, what can I do to help these tards get their nitrites back down to 0?

 

[rallysman]

did anything happen to the filtration?
What is the tank/filtration. It sounds like you might have a lack of biological filtration.

 

[moxxommox]

5ft standard with canister.. the mrs was feeding the O's alot.. could that have done it? she was feeding them frozen bloodworms... I've started to air the tank with the canister return water, its just making a few bubbles now.

It's a newish tank but it was still pretty low nitrtie... but now its whacked.

Should I try n get another filter or something tomorrow for it? or some matrix rock from the LFS? or something. w00t I would some cycle sitting in the box! Ill add some of that

 

[Scottfree]

5ft standard with canister.. the mrs was feeding the O's alot.. could that have done it? she was feeding them frozen bloodworms... I've started to air the tank with the canister return water, its just making a few bubbles now.

It's a newish tank but it was still pretty low nitrtie... but now its whacked.

Should I try n get another filter or something tomorrow for it? or some matrix rock from the LFS? or something. w00t I would some cycle sitting in the box! Ill add some of that

Define newish? fIf it's under 6-7 weeks, therein lies your problem....

 

[moxxommox]

yeah its about 2 months, cycled for about 1 month... then goldfish.. and has had O's in it for about 2-3 weeks.

 

[Potts050]

I keep a sponge filter working in my sump via a small air pump constantly. If nitrate spikes or I find something amiss in a tank then tossing this sponge filter (complete with mature stable bug population) cleans it up fast as well as provides a source of bacteria to re colonize my tank.

A Hydro-sponge 1 works best for me.

 

[moxxommox]

kewl, ill go get one tomoroz cheers
laters!

 

[Dominuslive]

Part of the problem is that the tank is adjusting to the bioload. Since you have only had the oscars for 2 weeks, you should be getting near the nitrate cycle. IMO I don't think Cycle does a good job, but Bio-Spira does a great job. With these fish another filter can't hurt., but more Bio filtration would be awesome. Mechanical filtration is not as important as bio. In my reef I run no mechanical or chemical. I use bio and a protien skimmer(which is mech in a way), but no filter pads. But the corals get more food this way.