# Nitrite help



## Bigkrup444 (Oct 6, 2003)

I added my 3 rb's to my 75g like 2 days. my ammo and nitrite were at zero, and a slight amount of nitrates were present. Now today ammo and nitrate are the same, but my nitrite went up to .50 what should i do? i added a lil bit a salt and did a 15% water change.


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## rbP NUT (Dec 2, 2003)

if you have PRIME use it, other than that you have done what you can, you did use all the old filter etc?


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## Bigkrup444 (Oct 6, 2003)

i used 1 new filter and 1 old and added some gravel from an established tank.


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## The Wave (Oct 22, 2003)

Slow down the feeding,you just over loaded your bio load,and if the tank you added the old filter from and the gravel was not that old,you do not have the bacteria built up.I would use a ammonia lock of some type and use salt to help the stress on the fish,and if you can get something with more bacteria in it add it.


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## Bigkrup444 (Oct 6, 2003)

how bad is .50 of nitrite to fish, is it deadly.


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## The Wave (Oct 22, 2003)

I do not think .5 of nitrIte is deadly,it's not good for them though,the reason i suggest a ammonia lock is the nitrIte is the aftermath of ammonia.


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## Bigkrup444 (Oct 6, 2003)

physco 1 said:


> I do not think .5 of nitrIte is deadly,it's not good for them though,the reason i suggest a ammonia lock is the nitrIte is the aftermath of ammonia.


 when i tested the water the ammo was at 0. So i dunno how i have nitrites maybe i added too many drops of the solution. I will retest the water 2 morrow hopefully it will have dropped.


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## rbP NUT (Dec 2, 2003)

physco 1 said:


> I do not think .5 of nitrIte is deadly,it's not good for them though,the reason i suggest a ammonia lock is the nitrIte is the aftermath of ammonia.


 adding ammo lock still changes it into nitrite.


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## The Wave (Oct 22, 2003)

Yes but it will slow it down...


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## rbP NUT (Dec 2, 2003)

no it just makes it harmless to fish, that is the beauty of it, as you can use it during a cycle, the best bet is PRIME by seachem.


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## The Wave (Oct 22, 2003)

rbP NUT said:


> no it just makes it harmless to fish, that is the beauty of it, as you can use it during a cycle, the best bet is PRIME by seachem.


 What i am trying to say is it will help the situation.


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## rbP NUT (Dec 2, 2003)

physco 1 said:


> rbP NUT said:
> 
> 
> > no it just makes it harmless to fish, that is the beauty of it, as you can use it during a cycle, the best bet is PRIME by seachem.
> ...


 dont get me wrong physco 1 but, if ammonia is 0 there is no ammonia for it to work on, as for prime it de toxifies nitrite & nitrate. keep us posted if levels go up and test for all three elements, ammonia nitrite and nitrate.


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## The Wave (Oct 22, 2003)

ok,got you so he should use amquel plus,it locks up nitrAte,nitrIte,ammonia,i do not know about prime,but i think it is the same.


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## rbP NUT (Dec 2, 2003)

i agree :nod: lol


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## Bigkrup444 (Oct 6, 2003)

aight thanks guys. I musta screwed something up i just retested the water and ammo was 0 nitrite was zero and nitrate was 30


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## Raptorsucks1987 (Jan 15, 2004)

Hey I'm new to this forum but I have 3 red bellies and the nitrite level is wicked high and every time I take out 10% or 25% of the water in a couple days it comes right back I bought some Amquel Plus but I was told if I put that in it will stop the cycle I've had the tank for about 2 weeks should I add it or just wait it out?


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## Judazzz (Jan 13, 2003)

Raptorsucks1987 said:


> Hey I'm new to this forum but I have 3 red bellies and the nitrite level is wicked high and every time I take out 10% or 25% of the water in a couple days it comes right back I bought some Amquel Plus but I was told if I put that in it will stop the cycle I've had the tank for about 2 weeks should I add it or just wait it out?


 A tank rarely fully cycles in two weeks - it usually takes 3-5 weeks, so you may have added your fish too early.

The reason why ammonia/nitrItes often go up after introducing (new) fish, is because the bioload increased: if you cycled a tank with say 5 2" goldfish, and then you drop in 5 6" reds, the amount of ammonia will rise (and after that the nitrIte levels), since there are only enough bacteria to take care of the 5 goldfish's waste, thus resulting in a mini-cycle to cope with the additional bioload...

To minimize stress/health hazards, the best you can do is doing small daily water changes (about 10%) to lower ammonia levels, and add one tablespoon of dissolved salt (total) to avoid nitIte poisoning.


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## Raptorsucks1987 (Jan 15, 2004)

okay thanks. Ill do that when I up grade to a 65 gal once I get rid of this 20gal let it cycle out with some gold fish.


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## Raptorsucks1987 (Jan 15, 2004)

My nitrie level is still wicked high even though every other day or every 3 days I take out some water it gets right back up there. My brother who also owns a red bellie said because before I had a hamster in the 20 gal. that i have the 3 reds in now and he said the hamster from bein in there before might be making the level high but I cleaned the tank with vineager before I put the p's in is he right?


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## ironjaws (Jan 19, 2004)

Raptor DOES SUCK!


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## Raptorsucks1987 (Jan 15, 2004)

whats that suppose to mean?


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