# URGENT: Who knows how to answer this ...



## kouma (Sep 1, 2003)

I never get straight answers for this question (Nirite and Nirate how do you lower them?)

My existing tank has 0 amonia but high nitrite and nitrate, been like this for 2 weeks now, I keep adding Cycle and Stress Zyme and water changes, but doesn't seem to work a lot.

My newly cycled tank, been running with fish in it for 1 week now ONLY, and already has 0 amonia, 2-3 Nitrite and 12.5 Nitrate, thats why lfs didn't want to sell me the spilo







How the #@$^ can I get those numbers to zero in both existing and new tanks..


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## MR HARLEY (Aug 12, 2003)

first of i would stop adding the cycle and stress Zyme... :laugh:This is only slowing your process down.. What i was told when i had this problem was that to let the tank work itself out and that if you have to do a water change it should be minimal...by taking out the water and adding chemicals it is not alowing the bacteria to build fast enough,...to kill off the trate and trite....Allow your tank to cycle a bit more...you can try taking out some of the residents to allow the bacteria to build faster..Try to get your hands on some Amquel from the lfs, this helps kill off nitrate and nitrites...Just give your tank time to cycle properly and you should be fine....





















Good luck hope this helps


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

I agree that it takes patience. It doesn't sound like neither of your tanks are cycled if you are still getting high nitrite readings. To directly answer your question, the simplest way to remove nitrate is to dilute it by doing small, frequent water changes. As for nitrites, you will need to wait till enough nitrite oxidizing bacteria colonize in your filter bed to handle the load. Like ammonia, there's no way around that one...


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## chomper (Sep 23, 2003)

I don't know whether or not freshwater can go through the same phosphate block, but in SW, when nitrite won't drop. You will need to add some form of phosphate into the tank. Try adding some novaqua or stirring your gravel. If it's only been 2 weeks, then do nothing it's still a little premature to jump the gun.


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## kouma (Sep 1, 2003)

I still don't understand..here I am getting total oppsite advices than every lfs I went to. Every one of them said 20-30% water changes every 3 days and add Cycle and Stree Zyme double dosage. But now HARLEY is saying that this, instead of speeding up, it will slow down the reduction of those Nitrites and Nitrates.

I have two 5" RBP in that exsiting tank and I don't want them to die, is there a way I can reduce those readings REALLY FAST. And why the hell would I get Nirtite in a new tank that has only been running for one week, when can I get my spilo..seriously f*ck this cycle crap, I keep reading and reading but still don't totally understand sh*t.


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## kouma (Sep 1, 2003)

"Amquel from the lfs, this helps kill off nitrate and nitrites" Does that provide the "nitrite oxidizing bacteria", so if I kill those my tank is considered cycled??

Also how come my Amonia is "zero" but those two are really high, isn't amonia that builds rite and rate?

My RBPs are sluggish and I know its because if Nitrite, I don't want them to get affected, I need to solve this problem..

Also for my new tank, I have a spilo waiting at the fish store, the bastard won't even sell it unless my levels are low..and this spilo is such a good deal if I wait any longer i know it will go..6" Spilo for $30


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

chomper said:


> I don't know whether or not freshwater can go through the same phosphate block, but in SW, when nitrite won't drop. You will need to add some form of phosphate into the tank. Try adding some novaqua or stirring your gravel. If it's only been 2 weeks, then do nothing it's still a little premature to jump the gun.


That's a very good point... but if he is using tap water, then there should be enough phosphate present for the nitrifiers to utilize (along with phosphates that's generated by fish waste, activated carbon, uneaten food, etc.). Low phosphate levels is rarely a problem unless you are using strictly R/O or distilled water (which is dangerous). It's quite the opposite where hobbiests are trying to reduce their phosphate levels. Adding an extra phosphate source can potentially lead to an algae bloom as soon as nitrates start to rise.


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## MR HARLEY (Aug 12, 2003)

Follow what Don H. said he knows best ...Plus your lfs is full of sh*t....







I am sorry if that was not what you wanted to here from me....I mean no harm by it , That was just what i was told by members here on the site ....I would only get advice from them on subjects of this matter because they know best....








Members here have alot of expierence with raising P's , So i would take there advice any day over what the lfs tells me .....


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## MR HARLEY (Aug 12, 2003)

also get some Bio-spira this helps tanks cycle fast....If the tank has not yet cycled ....


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## kouma (Sep 1, 2003)

HARLEY sorry bro, but I hope you didn't get offended or something..It is just I am really stressed of this sh*t, my existing tank has been running for 5 weeks and based on the charts my water chemistry if deadly and posinous. The guys that tested it told me there is no way you have fish living in there. My reading where off the chart, especially nitrite, it was very dark pink it looked like red wine.


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## MR HARLEY (Aug 12, 2003)

kouma said:


> "Amquel from the lfs, this helps kill off nitrate and nitrites" Does that provide the "nitrite oxidizing bacteria", so if I kill those my tank is considered cycled??


 no your tank is considered cycled when all levels are at ZERO


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## kouma (Sep 1, 2003)

What is Bio-spira?? and what are normal Nitrite and Nitrate levels on just tap water by itself?? any rough numbers


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

> And why the hell would I get Nirtite in a new tank that has only been running for one week


It's all a part of the nitrogen cycle... As soon as the ammonia levels drop, the nitrite will spike because it is the by-product of the ammonia oxidizing bacteria. This is the stage you are at. Give it another week and you will see the nitrites drop and the nitrates rise because nitrates is the end-product of the cycle. You can add salt to relieve nitrite poisoning in the meantime. If your fish seem stressed, then do a water change.



> "Amquel from the lfs, this helps kill off nitrate and nitrites" Does that provide the "nitrite oxidizing bacteria", so if I kill those my tank is considered cycled??


The advantage of AmQuel is that it detoxifies ammonia rendering it less toxic to fish but still have it as an available food source for nitrifiers. It does NOT add any form of bacteria to your tank nor speed up the cycle in any way.

The worst thing you can do right now is to add another fish to increase the bioload in the middle of a cycle. Be patient...


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## MR HARLEY (Aug 12, 2003)

DonH said:


> [
> 
> 
> > "Amquel from the lfs, this helps kill off nitrate and nitrites" Does that provide the "nitrite oxidizing bacteria", so if I kill those my tank is considered cycled??
> ...


 Right on the money with that on Don









Bio Spira is Bacteria in a bag for your fish tank .....
It is sold at my lfs for 13.99 an ounce and i needed four ounces for my 135
I put it in, in the beginning of my cycle ...I dont know how it will work on a tank that is in the process of being cycled.... Don any thoughts about this


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

At this point, I wouldn't waste money on Bio-Spira (even if it does work) and just wait it out. If you are really in a rush, you can try it. It does claim to have the correct nitrifiers (I believe Nitrosospira and Nitrospira) to oxidize nitrites.


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## mmmike247 (Jul 22, 2003)

not hard.. change water.. use charcoal!


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

mmmike247 said:


> not hard.. change water.. use charcoal!


 What does charcoal do to help his situation?


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## Grosse Gurke (Jan 3, 2003)

kouma listen to Don...you are in the middle of the cycle. If you already have nitrAtes then you have the bacteria in your tank to breakdown the nitrItes, they just need to increase in numbers to handle the current bio-load. Add salt to help the fish through this process. Once the cycle is complete and nitrItes drop to 0, do some small water changes daily to reduce the nitrAtes.


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## kouma (Sep 1, 2003)

Do you think I should add some of that amonia remover to my AC300, could it help?


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## MR HARLEY (Aug 12, 2003)

isnt your amonia at ZERO already?????


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## kouma (Sep 1, 2003)

Thats true it is..Thanks Don, HARLEY, grosse, and mike. I actually think I understand more now. As long as I have NitrAte that means I have the bacteria to break NitrIte, therefore all I need is to wait.


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## MR HARLEY (Aug 12, 2003)

kouma said:


> Thats true it is..Thanks Don, HARLEY, grosse, and mike. I actually think I understand more now. As long as I have NitrAte that means I have the bacteria to break NitrIte, therefore all I need is to wait.


 you got it bud....no prob anytime...


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## DonH (Jan 25, 2003)

kouma said:


> As long as I have NitrAte that means I have the bacteria to break NitrIte, therefore all I need is to wait.


 Not to confuse you even more... but some water sources already have nitrAtes in there. So you might want to test your tap water for nitrates (dechlorinate a gallon of it first so the chlorine does not bleach your test results).

And yes, all you have to do is wait.


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