Hi all,
I am just finishing up with a bout of ick in my tank, and the melachite green has probably destroyed all of my good bacteria. I've never tried cycling a tank fully stocked, so this is new to me. I have been doing a 20% water change nearly every day for the past week and with every change I include aquarium salt, nutrium cycle, and nutrafin water conditioner (just switched to Prime over the last 2 days from a member's recommendation). The ammonia has gone down to ~ .75ppm which is considered somewhat safe. I can't seem to get the nitrite levels down below 3.0ppm though (stress). I guess I am most baffled by the fact the nitrite levels don't seem to budge even after a water change. I check an hour after, 5 hours etc, and it just seems to stick around 3.0. I don't think the bacteria is doing its job, as the nitrate levels are still around 5ppm. What should I do at this point? And how the heck are my water changes not dropping the nitrite levels? Are the fish really putting out that much load? I only feed my fish once or twice a day.
Thanks in advance.
Tank info:
20 gallon
4 guppies, 6 black-skirts, 1 small rainbow shark (upgrading tank soon)
I am just finishing up with a bout of ick in my tank, and the melachite green has probably destroyed all of my good bacteria. I've never tried cycling a tank fully stocked, so this is new to me. I have been doing a 20% water change nearly every day for the past week and with every change I include aquarium salt, nutrium cycle, and nutrafin water conditioner (just switched to Prime over the last 2 days from a member's recommendation). The ammonia has gone down to ~ .75ppm which is considered somewhat safe. I can't seem to get the nitrite levels down below 3.0ppm though (stress). I guess I am most baffled by the fact the nitrite levels don't seem to budge even after a water change. I check an hour after, 5 hours etc, and it just seems to stick around 3.0. I don't think the bacteria is doing its job, as the nitrate levels are still around 5ppm. What should I do at this point? And how the heck are my water changes not dropping the nitrite levels? Are the fish really putting out that much load? I only feed my fish once or twice a day.
Thanks in advance.
Tank info:
20 gallon
4 guppies, 6 black-skirts, 1 small rainbow shark (upgrading tank soon)