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New Tank & Filter+ Old Water HIGH NITRITES

3K views 4 replies 4 participants last post by  Byron 
#1 ·
I have a new 95 Gallon with a Fluval Fx5 (400Gal Filter / 925 G.P.H). I used 40 gallons from a well established tank to start up. Nitrites at 8ppm Nitrates 10 ppm. 7ph which i am trying to buffer. 77 degrees. i have 4 juvenille african cichlids in the tank to help with the cycle. i've been doing 10 gallon daily changes and used 10 gallons from established tank once. tank has been running for a week and have seen a minimal drop in nitrites. the fish appear to be doing well. I am trying to speed the process so i can move my fish into this tank. any positive suggestions would be appreciated.
 
#2 ·
hi there and welcome to the forums!!!!!!!

you need to get those fish back to the store or put them in another aqaurium ASAP!!!! The water from en established aquarium DOES NOT have any beneficial bacteria!!!! you need substrate, filter media or decorations from another established tank just to jumpstart the cycle!!! hurry before they die get them outrathere!!!! do a fishless cycle so no fish die on you that way you'll avoid any heartaches!!!!

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
#3 ·
I will second that above. Using tank water from an established tank wont do very much if anything as there is barely any bacteria in the water. If you can get some estasblished filter media in the new filter and some gravel from the established tank that will help. What is the ammonia reading? If it is below 2ppm add 2 bottles of tetra safe start if it is above 2ppm do water changes to get it below 2 ppm and use tetra safe start. Also 10 gallon water changes are not enough on a cycling tank with fish. Do 25% water changes with Prime if you decide against the safe start. Finally 7 ppm nitrites is going to kill your fish sooner rather than later unless you are using prime or something else to detox the ammonia and nitrites.
 
#4 ·
check out this link it will help you tons!!

A Beginner's Guide to the Freshwater Aquarium Cycle


Im glad that you joined our community your going to get all the help you can ever need people here have years of experience and are ready to give you advice on any area of the fish keeping subject!

If you have any more questions ask anything at all that you might have in mind just ask it could make a big difference to the health and well-being of your little fishies!!!

take care and again welcome to the tropical fish keeping forums!!!!!:wave:
 
#5 ·
MotoroLVR, welcome to Tropical Fish Keeping forum.

I won't repeat what's been said. I will suggest though that daily water changes be around 50% if ammonia or nitrite is above .25, and use a conditioner that detoxifies ammonia and nitrite. There are two I am aware of that do both, Prime (made by Seachem) and Ultimate (made by Aquarium Solutions). If you have live plants, they will help enormously, as they grab a lot of ammonia (as ammonium). Also, seeding the tank with live bacteria from an established tank, or using a biological supplement also helps, provided it is 100% bacteria and not a bunch of chemicals. Seachem make Stability which is good, and Tetra make SafeStart; both are 100% live bacteria and they absolutely do work to establish the bacteria colony faster.

I am concerned about your mention of buffering the pH at 7 though, and would appreciate if you could explain what this refers to. The pH of your tap water will help, and how you are "buffering' it. There are good and bad ways (to the fish).

Byron.
 
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