# Nitrites high in fish less tank help !



## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

Hi ppl I have a fish less tank at the moment everything else is low and right just having problems with my nitrites it's too high can anyone recommend a quick and safe way to get them low ?


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Change water!The % you change is the % you will lower nitrItes.
25%wc=25% less nitrItes(and ammonia,nitrAte).
Most change at least 50% if they are trying to better water quality .
No fish ,what is in the tank?Was this tank ever even cycled before?
You need ammonia and nitrIte to grow the necessary bacteria to a cycled tank.Once cycled you should only detect nitrAtes.


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

I have done a 25% Water change yesterday it's a new tank had fish in before but losted them so cleaned it all out and started again it's a 35 litre tank nitrates is my only problem at the moment


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## chenowethpm (Jan 8, 2014)

Did you mean nitrATes in the original post? Or NitrItes?


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

Nitrites mate


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## coralbandit (Jul 29, 2012)

Where are the nitrItes comming from?
Are you adding ammonia or fish food to help cycle the tank?
If you have NO fish(shrimp or snails) then you should not change water,but just keep testing until ammonia and nitrIte are 0.


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## Brew86uk (Sep 2, 2014)

I was told at the fish shop to do 25% water change to get lower the nitrites so adding fish food will help the cycle and I have added api quick start tonight hoping that should help the cycle


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## swimwiththefishes (Jul 31, 2014)

Brew86uk said:


> I was told at the fish shop to do 25% water change to get lower the nitrites so adding fish food will help the cycle and I have added api quick start tonight hoping that should help the cycle


Hey Brew...

Ok If you have NO fish in the tank dont panic trites is part of the cycle. I HAVE fish since i bought this tank so I am cycling WITH fish in and MY trites just registered for the first time today. NO FISH! NO WC! is my theory let the sess pool do its thing Effectively if you do WC (as mentioned) you effectively reduce the ammount of nutrients( AMMO and Trites) required for the filter to get established. Just let it run its course if you see high trites and ammo is not as high or is lowering thats good it will balance out and effectively return to 0.

I have to do WC cause i have fish in during cycle. Now me seeing trites today for the first time (Have a post up) i hope that means im moving along in my cycle.

Cheers,


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