# no3 and no3 levels dangerously high need help fast



## chrishughes1989 (Dec 12, 2010)

hi i am new to tropical fish i noticed that a few wer dying and i brought a tester kit and descovered my no3 level is about 75 and my no2 level is about 5 and my kh is a little low. i have but a bit ov easy balance in the warter and changed 3 percent this morning and cleaned out the filters and it is still high

can you help me please


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## mfgann (Oct 21, 2010)

chrishughes1989 said:


> hi i am new to tropical fish i noticed that a few wer dying and i brought a tester kit and descovered my no3 level is about 75 and my no2 level is about 5 and my kh is a little low. i have but a bit ov easy balance in the warter and changed 3 percent this morning and cleaned out the filters and it is still high
> 
> can you help me please


The best thing you can do is water changes. I would suggest a 50% change today, and continue water changes daily for a bit. You want to keep ammonia (NH3) and Nitrite (NO2) both below 1ppm, both are very toxic to fish. Eventually beneficial bacteria will build up to convert both to Nitrate (NO3). This can take up to about 6 weeks or so. Nitrate is much less toxic to fish, though you still want to it below about 20-40 ppm. You can do this by doing a water change of 15% or so about once a week. Unfortunately when starting a tank, this cycle can be very hard on a new tank's fish, and often kills a few. Just stick with the surviving fish and let the cyc;ing of the tank finish (you'll know it is done when you have 0 ppm on both NH3 and NO2). Don't add any more fish and feed lightly (no more food than the fish can eat in 2-3 minutes) until it is done. Good luck!


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

First off, ditch the strips if that is what you are using. They are well known for being inaccurate.

A little more info on your tank would be nice....size, how long has it had fish in it, how many fish, ammonia/nitrite/nitrate readings, temp, ph, etc..

If you nitrite really is 5 you need to do a 50% water change. I hope you meant 30% and not 3%...3% is about the evaporation rate. Also, when you said cleaned out the filters...what exactly did you mean?


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## chrishughes1989 (Dec 12, 2010)

hi mate

its a 62 liter tank

tempreture = 27degrees

i have changed 30% of the warter this morning

and i got told to put a bit of sera nitrivec in and a bit of easy balance. i have just cleaned all the filter out and brought a live plant. we have had the tank about 4 weeks and i have never had fish before. we have about 20 small fish in it


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Your tank is cyclng. If you haven't already, read up on the nitrogen cycle to understand what your tank is going through and to know the indications of when it is complete. 

I wouldn't treat with anything while the cycle is going on. Did you test after your 30% change or before? Also, messing with the filter during your cycle is a bad idea for the most part. You need to grow the benefical bacteria and your filter is where a large portion of that bacteria is. At the most...wash out the media with tank water during one of your water changes or in some tap water that has been conditioned. Chlorine/chlorimines will kill your bacteria. The beneficial bacteria is your biological filtration and keeps your tank stable.


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## chrishughes1989 (Dec 12, 2010)

so because i have messed with my filter and put tretments in will this kill my fish?? as a few of the died last week and i thought it was the warter? and how often should i cange warter? and do i out tap warter back in to the tank?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I don't think it killed your fish, but could slow the completion of the cycle. Put "treated" tap water in the tank. Water changes normally should be weekly from most opinions, but that is normal maintenance. When your tank is cycling like yours is, the test readings dictate the time for a water change. Shoot for keeping ammonia and nitrite at 1 or below. Anything above do a minimum water change of 25%. If it is way over one then as much as 50%.


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## chrishughes1989 (Dec 12, 2010)

my warter is still rely high even after the warter change earlyer do i do another change? and is it known for fish to die alot in the first stages? and i wish i would of read up before i brought the fish bt its too late now lol.


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## chrishughes1989 (Dec 12, 2010)

what do i treat the warter with?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

It is common. Some people buy fish that are very sturdy like Danios, just for the purpose of cycling a tank. Some tolerate it better than others.

If you did the water change today, you could do another one since the first one was on the smaller side. If you do, do about the same amount and wait 5-6 hours in between. From there if it is still high do a 35-50% everyday after until they are back down below 1.

You need a water conditioner. If you haven't been using one that could be your trouble. Most tap water has chlorine or chlorimines that is harmful to fish. Most use a product called Prime on here, but Aquasafe or other products will work also.


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## chrishughes1989 (Dec 12, 2010)

hi thanks for your help one last question what do i treat the warter with?


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

I added that to the bottom of the previous post.


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## chrishughes1989 (Dec 12, 2010)

sorry to keep pestering you  but is there any point in me doing a warter change now to lower it since i have no conditioner and can not get any till tomorrow


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## mfgann (Oct 21, 2010)

chrishughes1989 said:


> sorry to keep pestering you  but is there any point in me doing a warter change now to lower it since i have no conditioner and can not get any till tomorrow


Nope, afraid not. It can't have chlorine in it or it could kill the fish.


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## jrman83 (Jul 9, 2010)

Agree. It would probably be worse to put in water without conditioner.


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## snail (Aug 6, 2010)

In an emergency some say to use hot water out of your shower head and let it cool down before adding. Like that at least chlorine is evaporated. It depends on what the water has been treated with.


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