# high nitrite level that wont go down!!



## adyady29 (Aug 4, 2010)

I have a new tank that is about 1 month old. There is a neon tetra, dwarf gourmi , yo yo loach and orange flash flame tetra. In the tank there is a nitrite level of about 5.00 ppm. Iv been doing 50% water changes every other day. On top of that i have been using a product called Nite-Out. The other level are ok but its just the nitrite that wont go down from 5.00 ppm.

Any suggestions on what i should do? or anything else that will help?

Thanks :animated_fish_swimm


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## Tim Wheatley (Jul 21, 2010)

You're probably over-feeding. It's really, really hard not to overfeed. 

I do 50% water changes once per week with a fully established tank, you might actually be doing more harm doing it more often. I've never used any product except water conditioner and anything that says it gets rid of nitrates probably just adds something else bad so you can become reliant on a chemical to fix that, too. With freshwater I do this once a week (and I could do it once a month if I wanted):
Take 50% water out.
Put 50% water in straight from tap.
Add water conditioner into tank.

I also have brackish and saltwater tanks, those I do not mix the water conditioner in the tank I prep the water in buckets first.


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## adyady29 (Aug 4, 2010)

i only feed a small amount once per day just as our local fish store told me to do before when i had a high ammonia level.


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## susankat (Nov 15, 2008)

Sounds more like the tank is cycling. Did you cycle the tank before putting the fish in? Can you give me your readings for ammonia, nitrite and nitrates.


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## adyady29 (Aug 4, 2010)

the tank did cycle before putting fish in. 

Ammonia = 0 ppm
Nitrite = 5.00 ppm
Nitrate = 40 ppm


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## Brittrugger (May 30, 2010)

Definitely still cycling with nitrite levels like that, but with nitrates being produced you are getting there. Keep up with the water changes, 30-50% ever other day sounds good. You could also try feeding your fish every other day as well, maybe on the days inbetween the water changes, they'll be fine with every other day feedings so dont worry.

Also, just a thought, you said you have been using Nite-out, which i assume (dont know the product) is to eliminate Nitrites and/or Nitrates but do you use any water conditioner on the water before the changes or do you age the water at all? You didnt mention it and you could be killing your bacteria with the chlorine from the water if it isnt conditioned first.


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## adyady29 (Aug 4, 2010)

im using some kind of ammonia neutralizer but on the bottle it says it also acts as a water condintioner and dechlorinates the water


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## A.J. (Jun 22, 2010)

I'm struggling with this same thing. I must have not fully cycled the tank or put in to much of a bio load that my tank started another cycle. 

From some of the replies I may have been doing more harm than good doing daily water changes. But reading one reply, I've been filling up my 5 gallon bucket with tap water and putting my treatment in it, giving it a stir then pouring it into the tank. Should I do that or add straight tap then add in the water treatment?


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## supernaut06 (Jul 30, 2010)

A.J. I don't think you need to stir the bucket after adding the treatment but otherwise I think you're doing fine. IMO it's better to treat the new water before it's in the tank and not risk exposing your fish to chlorine etc that may be in your tap water.


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## A.J. (Jun 22, 2010)

Ok, I'll keeping doing that but reduce the water changes to every other day as well as feeding. I'm just really fearing for my fishes safety now and wanting this to complete. I've added in anacharis plants, moss balls, AmQuel Plus, and just yesterday put in some Stress Zyme.


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## Tim Wheatley (Jul 21, 2010)

Good luck AJ. 

In my opinion go easy on adding the chemicals. I only add water conditioner after a water change, at no other time. I have five tanks and I've also moved 1000 miles (30 hour trip) with fish in buckets, they are remarkably resilient, but the first fish you put into a tank you should always try to accept that something could go wrong... And take heart, because in a lot of cases you still gave them a better life than they would have had at the fish store.


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## A.J. (Jun 22, 2010)

Thanks for the comments. The AmQuel from the bottle says it removes chlorine and such as well as helps remove nitrites so I swapped the regular conditioner with that one to see if it would help any. The Stress Zyme, well I just feel so bad for my fish so wanted to give them some comfort, it should also help with the good bacteria and is a weekly dose per the instructions.


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