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If patience is the challenge… well, challenge accepted!

27K views 265 replies 16 participants last post by  carlos puron 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi everyone I'm kind of new to this forum I tend to post more at bettafish but I need some advice.

I recently found out that my tap water has nitrite Someone told me to use aquarium salt to help my fish while tank cycles to be able to handle nitrite but I'm afraid that may kill my plants
I have javamoss sunset hygro bacopa amazon sword red root floaters and some others that I just can't remember the names so should I add salt if so how much per gallon?

Thanks for reading
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#4 · (Edited by Moderator)
Ok but like now my tank reads .25 and tap water reads 1 isn't it like I'm gonna Give more work to the beneficial bacteria ? If not how much water should I change
so far I've been doing about 10 -15% water changes adding prime my fish seems to be ok they're not gasping at the surface any more I lost two guppies :( but I haven't get any other loss now I don't know how to bring back my bettas cause fish shouldn't been added until is stablish right ?
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#5 ·
stable is always good

as the bettas can breath air, ... i think you have more forgiveness, ... as i can't mix these with other fish (the bettas keep killing them) i tend to avoid bettas, ... well i've heard of what's commonly called a "peaceful betta" which can do well enough in a community tank i hear - good luck on finding any.

but back to betta's & breathing, ... i would assume because they can gulp air if need-be they're more forgiving then your guppies.
 
#6 ·
Moving this thread into the Beginner Freshwater area, I think you're looking for more basic information on cycling! ^_^

I've separated out the more advanced posts into their own thread, as they seemed as if they were slightly off-topic to the original poster's question. Feel free to pick up that conversation on this thread, if you'd like!
 
#7 ·
Can you provide us some information on your tank? How big is it? How many fish? Etc. all the specifics that you can.
 
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#8 · (Edited)
how heavily planted is your tank? Most likely the plants will assimilate the nitrites anyway :) Salt will probably kill the plants :(

Additionally if your tank is cycled, the nitrite in the tap water shouldn't present much of a problem...

When doing water changes, I would add some extra prime like sandy bottom suggested. The time the nitrite is locked down by the prime will give either your plants or biological filter time to process the nitrites

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#9 ·
The time the nitrite is locked down by the prime will give either your plants or biological filter to process the nitrites

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Agreed, but may require dosing for consecutive days, between water changes, which i think was mentioned by sandy.
 
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#10 ·
Nitrite is a product of ammonia oxidation. How in the world does nitrite get into tapwater? Is there nitrosomonas bacteria in the water line? In the water-processing facility?

From the feedback I'm getting, Tetra Safestart is excellent at providing nitrite- oxidizing bacteria. Perhaps other bottled-bacteria is as well.

Double-dosing Prime is recommended by Seachem to help control nitrite. Prime and frequent water changes, as Romad recommends.

Adding salt is an olde-tyme method of helping fish cope with high nitrite. Better to deal with the nitrite, in my opinion..
 
#11 ·
Sorry I was at work thank is 75 gall so far 3 tetras 3 rasboras 3 green cory catfish 1 clown loach my big boy and 5 female bettas the loach and the bettas are out the tank tank was cycled but I added fish before I should I was struggling with ammonia spikes I got that under control everything was good but after water changes I noticed that fish started to stay at the top gasping like needing some air I increased aireation via air lines in the decorations is not that heavy planted I have an amazon sword have fern rotala African hygro java moss salvia minima and red root floaters I'll post a pic once I find how to do it from here
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#15 ·
Ok daily doses of prime was something I didn't do thats another mistake so tomorrow is water change day I'll do about 20 % prime 5x the recommend dose and I'll add prime during the week I've never tested water day before water change and I just did it reads .25 ppm but the test doesn't get that purple it's like a light purple so maybe is like almost nothing ( I'm using water test master kit from API) any other recommendations before I do something
 
#16 ·
I responded to your PM message last night, but wanted to post here, too.

Your tank is looking really good! I know it can be discouraging when we hit bumps like this, but don't give up - things will settle down for you soon. *hugs*

It is unusual to have nitrIte in the tap water, as Hallyx pointed out - I hope you aren't drinking the stuff! If I were you I'd contact the local water supply company about that - it isn't safe for YOU, much less your fish!

With that being said, don't worry about overloading the bacteria. There is more than enough surface area in your tank to support the bacterial colonies needed to handle the bioload of your fish along with this level of nitrItes - but it looks as if a bit more time is needed for your tank to fully cycle, and those bacterial colonies to establish.

Sometimes the most important thing with tanks is to be patient and allow nature to take its course, and I could be wrong, but this looks like one of those times to me. Again, as Hal mentioned, you can try adding a bottled bacteria product like Tetra SafeStart (which should be easy to find in any fish shop) to possibly help in speeding the process up. Apart from this, as the others have said, all you really can do is be patient, continue to do your water changes, and be sure to add Prime once every 24 hours to keep the fish safe as things settle down.

* IF you are showing a reading for nitrIte in the tank water BEFORE your water change, you may want to double dose enough Prime for the entire 75 gallons (if you aren't already!) Continue to add the full amount every 24 hours like clockwork, even if you haven't just done a water change, for as long as you are testing nitrItes in the tank water.

* When you do your water changes, avoid disturbing the surface areas of the tank or your filter during this time - you want to do your best not to disturb the areas where the bacteria is growing!

* I would suggest possibly limiting the amount that you're feeding your fish, and feed them only once every other day until things settle down in there. The problem here is in the tap water, but it can't hurt to try to lower the amount of waste that goes into the tank until the levels even out

* The nitrItes may still show up on the test, even though they are locked down with the Prime - watch your fish carefully for signs of distress, and should you note anything out of the ordinary - like the gasping you mentioned earlier - do an immediate water change, adding a fresh dose of Prime.



A couple of questions for you. . .

1. How long has this tank been set up?
2. Did you cycle this tank before adding fish, or did you start with a fish-in cycle?
3. I'm confused about your stocking - do you have fish somewhere else that you moved from this tank to keep them safe? Or are all of your fish living in here now?



I know how confusing all of this can be! You're doing a great job, and getting a lot of good information here - you'll be through this soon, and things will get much easier for you! I'm not positive that all of your questions have been addressed, so I encourage you to please repeat any that we may have missed! Keep up the good work - it looks like you're on the right track, and doing great! ^__^

I hope this helps you out a bit - good luck, and keep us posted!





(I'm still a beginner myself, so if I have posted anything misleading or confusing, I ask that those with more experience always please feel free to correct me! I know I have a lot to learn still!)
 
#17 ·
Tank is like 6 months old I did cycle it but I committed the mistake of adding too much fish at one time so I started having problems with ammonia got it back to normal and then. the nitrite problems came in about fish I got my female bettas and my clown loach out of the tank to keep them safe now I don't know when to put them back I would like it to be stable before adding anything

Thank you guys for all your help I just did my water change added prime and i'll be adding some more prime tomorrow
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#22 ·
Ok so I tested water today readings were
Ph : 6.6
Ammonia :0 ppm
Nitrite: 0.50ppm
Nitrate: 5.0ppm

My friend (who's keeping my clown loach for the moment ) got a sponge in her filter to catch some beneficial bacteria to add to my tank I hope that works I'll go for it sunday

Thanks again for all your help
 
#24 ·
Ok so today's test ph went down same as nitrate we still having nitrite but less than yesterday

Ph:6.0
Ammonia:0ppm
Nitrite:0.25ppm
Nitrate:0ppm

I tested twice just to make sure I have the correct readings especially In ph is it normal to have the ph that low ?
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#25 ·
Btw fish are swimming normally no sings of gasping or need of air as before and no deaths I've been adding prime daily 5x the recommended dose I'm adding all this info in case someone is researching for the same problem it has happened to me that I start reading on what Google gives me and they just cut the info on the treatment so just for all those beginner hobbyist out there I hope it can work for someone else

Again thanks for all your tips :)
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#26 ·
Hi everyone today I tested the water and nitrite shows 0 it looks like I have ammonia now .25ppm water change day is this Saturday I'll do a 25% or should I do it tomorrow because of the ammonia? on other readings ph shows 6.0 and nitrate 0ppm

Im still adding prime daily but why is the ammonia raising now ? I look around the tank there's nothing dead plants nor fish and no food left overs that I can see is this normal ?

I think this tank has a Curse lol the person who sold it to me told me that he lost his fish due to ich and now It seems like it will never be stable I had a 55 gallons in the other apartment that I was living and I didn't struggle with it a friend gave it to me he just quit the hobby maybe it's because the tank was stable and I used the same equipment he had running in the tank

Well I'm trying to not give up but it's starting to frustrate me I've never been into something like this with my betta tanks and the biggest are 5 gal which as someone told me should be harder to maintain I hope this ends soon

Thanks for your help:)
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