# Nitrites always high :S



## 20GallonPirate (Nov 1, 2010)

Hey guys, im new to this hobby, about 1 month now. I have a 20G, when i set it up i let it run for about 3-4 days before i put any fish in. I tested for nitrites/ates and everything else every couple days and they were always 0. By the time i had 8 fish in the tank, it was running for about 2 weeks and I hadnt vaccumed the substrate yet. I finally bought a vacuum pump and when i started it was ALOT of fices and so on, i cleaned almost everyday and there was the same amount no matter how much i cleaned. anyways one day i wake up and my small BNpeacock was dead. I checked the N levels and they were through the roof ! so i started to vacuum water out and clean, but the water smelled very bad, and when i lifted the artificial log thick cloudy ooze came out from under it. This freaked me out so i put all the fish in separate tanks, took all the water out of my tank, took out the decorations, rinsed them, took out all of the gravel rinsed that and put in about 80% new water and 20% of the more cleaner old water.

after that my N levels have been lower, but the same every day. Nitrite is about 3-5ppm, nitrate is around 100. I now only have 2 rocks, and a few small artificial plants, and a log. I vacuum the substrate everyday and do 10-20% water changes every day as well. BUT THE N levels never change when i wake up in the morning!!!

what can i do? and what am i doing wrong because im sure there is a lot of things that im doing incorrect.


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Hiya!!

Do you mind me asking a few questions so we arn't missing anything.

I understand the tank is 20 gallons, and you had 8 fish. You still have 7? How big are they and what kinds?

What type of filter do you have on the tank? Did you have any old filter material added to the tank while it ran fishless? It might have started to cycle once you added fish and defiantly if you added them all at once.

What is your usual what change schedule? How much do you feel as well?

If you have taken out the fish and you are not feeding the cycle it might never change for you. Here is a link for you about fishless cycles.

How are you keeping the separated fish?

hopefully we can help you out.


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## 20GallonPirate (Nov 1, 2010)

i have 7 fish now, i put 3 in first, then a week later a put in 4 they range from .5 inch to almost 2inches. all are african chichlids

filter is the tetra whisper EX20, i feed 2 times a day, the fish eat everything before it even leaves my hands, i dont feed too much tho, its the Spectrum pellets. 

what i meant by taking the fish out was that i took them out while i rinsed off all that stuff, then i put them back in to the tank.

i appreciate any help!


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## Ciddian (Mar 15, 2006)

Ahhhh okie! Well, taking everything out and doing a big rinse will defiantly start a bran new cycle. 

You'll have to look up how to do a fish in cycle, I usually perform small frequent water changes but I've always had another tanks dirty filter material to help. Chris S. on this forum often suggests picking up seachems stability.

Africans are in no way my strength so hopefully someone can help regarding if you might get overstocked at all. 

Do you do a gravel vac when you do your water changes?


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## kev416 (Aug 22, 2010)

You're under filtered. By what you described with the excess feces and the sludge you're over feeding as well. I know you think you're not feeding heavily but most fish in home aquariums are overfed. If I'm correct that Whisper is more of a mechanical filter with a white floss pad with some carbon inside. The fish excrement doesn't make it to the filter and if it did it would easily overwhelm it and basically clog. You need to add a higher biological component to completely cycle the tank (zero nitrite). It's your choice... a sponge filter and air pump, an aquaclear with sponge, carbon and zeolite or an eheim. Africans consume more food than they really need in a day. The more you feed the more you need to clean. It's best to do a quick siphoning of any feces and excess food rather than assume the filter will do all the work. It wouldn't hurt to increase the water circulation as well by adding another filter. The nitrate in most aquariums will rise in time because of density and the amount of food we feed our fish. Even with constant water changes we're only one step in front of them rising to intermediate levels.


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## kev416 (Aug 22, 2010)

Oh... as well... with high nitrates your pH will drop. If you do a massive water change like 80% there's a chance you'll pH shock them when you add new water. Then disease will break out like finrot and clamped fins. If your tank is real dirty next time do water changes over a week or two, suspend feeding for a few days and avoid a massive tank clean in one day unless of course you move the fish out into a healthy tank for the time being.


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## 20GallonPirate (Nov 1, 2010)

wow thanks for the info! i was thinking about adding another filter, can you reccomed which one is better? i know there are a lot and they do the same thing but id like one that would give off the least amount of noise, seeig as how the tank is in my room. also, since i already have the whisper, can i just get the smallest size of the other filters? or wha size would be better for my tank?


and yes in response to both Kev and ciddian i do vaccuum of the gravel every morning, thats how i get the water of of my tank, i take out 2.5G every day and replace with tap water.


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## Tbird (Oct 5, 2009)

I have a 30G with a lot of juvie africans and I run an AC 70 and an emporer 170 along with a #5 sponge filter and a K1 to circulate the water a bit. It doesn't take them long to mess it up either. On another 30G I have, i run an emporer 280 and a fluval 204.

I wouldn't go with another small filter. If you are thinking HOB, I would go with an AC 50, maybe a 70 if you can fit it and just run it at a lower setting. It won't take long before you will probably want to upgrade tank size. 

Also, make sure that you are treating the water you are adding with conditioner. I would cut down feeding to once a day, then maybe every few days throw in an extra feeding if you want. Cutting down the feeding will help reduce waste and keep your amonia, nitrite and nitrates down. You could even add a plant or two in your tank. Anubias or java fern, hopefully they don't turn it into salad. LOL

Hope this helps.


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## 20GallonPirate (Nov 1, 2010)

that was defenately helpful, i always thought that maybe adding more and larger filters would cause over filtration, but from what ive been reading there is no such thing really.

Since i have a 20G and the EX20 already, i was thinking of just adding the AC 50, would that be sufficient? also what are the differeneces between the media types? I saw the ammonia remover, activated cardon, foam filters... im guessing they all perform different types of functions. 

right now in my EX20 i have the activated carbon filter along with that speacial bio scrub that comes with it. If i get the AC 50, would it be better to add the ammonia remover or sponge? 

Thanks!


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## Tbird (Oct 5, 2009)

The 50 would defintely help. I would use the sponge and bio for it. I put as much bio in mine as i can. I usually just buy a big box of it and bags and make my own. But you can just buy the AC bio inserts. I don't usually use carbon unless I have treated the tank with something. If your amonia is at zero, I wouldn't worry about using it.

If you want somemore African's I more some more for you. LOL


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## 20GallonPirate (Nov 1, 2010)

thats great man, I'll pick up the AC50 today at BA, since its double points day hehe 

also, my nitrites are at around 3-5 which is way too high...so i really hope this helps. Can you mix two different inserts? 

and i would love some chichlids, i was thinking of getting some nice red germans some time from BA. which ones do you have?


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## Tbird (Oct 5, 2009)

Yes you can mix different inserts. Like I said, you should be able to go with just a sponge and maybe 2 of the ac bio inserts. Or two sponges and a bio insert. 

I have yellow labs, blue socofoli and kenyi right now.


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## 20GallonPirate (Nov 1, 2010)

hmm i might pick up some blue socofolis, since i already have the others in my tank.

would the red germans do ok withmy fish?


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## Tbird (Oct 5, 2009)

You could add German reds but it won't be long before all your fish will definitely out grow that tank!


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## 20GallonPirate (Nov 1, 2010)

i know :O , but i need to get used to this hobby first, i also got this tank as a gift. once i get handy at keeping the fish nice and healthy i'll upgrade :


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