water parameters: perfect ammonia, nitrate, but high nitrite.

[kamikaziechameleon]

I jump started a 30 gallon soon to be planted tank by using a seasoned filter and old seasoned substrate in it and lost a fish yesterday (tank is 2 weeks old fish have been in it for 3 days.) I tested the water, relatively perfect ammonia and nitrate levels but 1 ppm nitrite (too high right).

I understand that ammonia is turned into nitrite by the bacteria, and then nitrite is turned into nitrate right? If everything is seasoned why am I having this issue I've done this dozens of times before and never had this issue. Please help. I did a 40 percent water change and plan to test again tonight and do another water change. Any further recommendations?

 

[fish n chips]

how many fish wer in, if it was just the 1 and u had a few in, he might have just died ,sounds to me like your no noob so my guess is he just up and died

oh 1 ppm is v lo but it could be a sign something is not right, like some outside contamation just guessin here but was tank clean and not near any kind of bad stuff like fumes or hair spray
relatively perfect ammonia?????????????/ any thing but 0 is bad v bad

 

[kamikaziechameleon]

I say relatively because 0 is pretty much impossible with live animals in the tank, so immeasurable how's that for a finite level of ammonia.

The tank is full up on new fish from the pet store in Quarantine. 18 different small dwarf neon and celebs rainbows. Some different snails 3 dwarf frogs and a whiptail catfish.

1 ppm nitrite is half way up the chart so I figured it was high. Never had it show without ammonia or nitrate also being high.

 

[fish n chips]

ok ill hold my hands up im lost on the ammonia as iv never never had it show on my tests i use drops to water and never had the slightest colour change[sept when i cycle]
and rest i use a dip stick and only the faintest amount of nitrate, nitrite allways reads 0,if it even read .5 i think i would do wc every day till it read 0, but its never happened so hay

my guess is ur bio needs time to cach up to the load, but ill still say the fish just died for no reason as you not a nobb

 

[wareagle12]

For Christams I set up a120. I did a direct exchange from my 55 that was well established. Tank was well seaseoned. Used the substrate from that and had the canister I was going to use hooked up to it for 2 months. When I added the extra water I pretreated with Prime. Tank finaly just finaly finished recycling a couple weeks ago and fish came back to life. My point is is that even with the best laid plans they don't always work. Just keep with the water changes. I know you probaly didn't want that answer. Of course the fish might have just up and died. Best of luck to you.

 

[kamikaziechameleon]

Thanks guys, I didn't know if I was missing something that is why I started this thread. Your positive feedback has been very helpful. I'll just keep up the water changes and replace the fish.

 

[lp85253]

Thanks guys, I didn't know if I was missing something that is why I started this thread. Your positive feedback has been very helpful. I'll just keep up the water changes and replace the fish.

dose HEAVY with prime also,it will explain on the bottle,this will help stop further fish loss(PRIME DETOXES NITRITES AND AMONIA)

 

[F1 VET]

Alot of ppl make the mistake of thinking the old aquarium water needs to go into the new tank...... no! (not that u did)Ur just putting dirty water in it and ur bio load will be even higher! I just did my swap a few weeks back and this is why i use a h.o.b cuz u just throw it on the new tank and fill it with dechlorinated water as non dechlorinated water KILLS BB! Let it sit a day so temp acclimates and ur good! I also use a xp4 but the hob just makes it quick and easy imo!

Im sure u know all this but sometimes covering the basics is good, kind of like troubleshooting an electical loop!

Goodluck man and keep up them WC and be sure to throw prime in the bucket of water before u put in aquarium!

 

[fish n chips]

Alot of ppl make the mistake of thinking the old aquarium water needs to go into the new tank...... no! (not that u did)Ur just putting dirty water in it and ur bio load will be even higher! I just did my swap a few weeks back and this is why i use a h.o.b cuz u just throw it on the new tank and fill it with dechlorinated water as non dechlorinated water KILLS BB! Let it sit a day so temp acclimates and ur good! I also use a xp4 but the hob just makes it quick and easy imo!

Im sure u know all this but sometimes covering the basics is good, kind of like troubleshooting an electical loop!

Goodluck man and keep up them WC and be sure to throw prime in the bucket of water before u put in aquarium!

i agree 100%


iv said this on this fourm b4 but ill say it again
my tank stood still for 2 or more years just sat ther with plants and.. then b4 x mass i vac the gravel and squeez the sponges took out 90% of the old water,filled it up and after a few weeks added 4 guppys i wated for 9 or more weeks for it to cycle it did not spike on any prams so i added 4 loach then a few weeks later i added thr sds,, i never had a spike,, all i can say is the filter and gravel held onto bb,,,strange or what???

 

[F1 VET]

For some reason that bacteria loves filters, obviously the flow rate and media exchange helps. ^^thanks^^



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