# Help! Need an idea fast! nitrite



## Splak (May 1, 2013)

Hey everyone, I have a bit of a problem here. 

To start(problem): My CRS and my red cherry tank have a planaria infestation(NOT FROM OVER FEEDING!). I ordered some no planaria online and it should be here in 4 days. 

All my levels in my tanks are fine: 
0 ammonia
0 nitrite 
20ish nitrate
6.6 PH

So ever since I got this planaria from petsmart crypt plants, I have noticed I am losing the odd shrimp every couple of days.

so, my assumption is that the shrimp walk over a planaria, it latches on and feeds on him well he is alive!! I cringe thinking about it!


What I have done is took my 10 gallon BN fry grow out tank and moved them into a 30gal with their parents. 
Lastnight I threw in a 8.8lb bag of Fluval Shrimp Substrate, some dwarf sag, moss ball and java moss. 

I tested this morning and everything seems fine, but I have .25-.50 nitrite levels.

PH lowered from 7.2 to 6.4-6.6, 0 ammonia and 20 nitrate.

So what I did was a 50% water change, same readings for nitrite. I did another 30% change and SAME READINGS!!

This tank has been running for months with weekly 30% changes.

What can I do to drop my nitrite to a safe level fast, so I can move my shrimps to their temp home until I get rid of the planaria in their main tanks?


(Note: I only have 5 CRS and 10 full red cherries.)


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## Bubblez (Jun 1, 2009)

what kind of water are you using to WC


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## Splak (May 1, 2013)

Tap water, but my CRS tank I use 75%RO and 25% tap.


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## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

DUCKWEED.
Its a pain in the a.....but it will suck up nitrate/nitrites like it was going out of business.

I have duckweed in my tanks (can't keep the damn thing eliminated) but have NO problems with any nitrite/nitrates/ammonia.

If you want some I can give you a whole bag of it...but please dont' curse me when you can't get rid of it.


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## Splak (May 1, 2013)

Okay, thanks, I have some duckweed in my other two tanks, so I will add some to my 10gal.

Thanks!


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## Mykuhl (Apr 8, 2013)

How soon after doing each water change did you test? If you tested pretty much right after and you got the same reading, then likely your test kit is giving a false reading. Changing that much water will lower nitrite levels for sure.


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## bettaforu (Sep 6, 2009)

What I have found too with test kits is if you test without shaking the bottle up you get one result and when you shake the bottle up and then retest the same water you get another (usually the correct one) Make sure you shake the bottle first, wait a minute or so then test the water.

I have had readings on my tank that said PH was 7.6 from using the bottle right away, when I knew my tank had lower PH in it. So shook the bottle and waited a few minutes then restested and the PH registered at 6.5!

It doesn't say to shake up on the bottles, but I discovered this on several tests even with different bottles....the chemicals sit undiluted in the bottom of the bottles and if you don't shake them you get a much different result.

Im sure people all know this, I just thought Id mention it in case you didn't.


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## Shrimp Daddy (Mar 30, 2013)

Water change.


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## Splak (May 1, 2013)

Thanks everyone for the help. 

I added a handful of duckweed and another 30% water change last night, tested again today and nitrite was almost 0! 

Thanks!


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## Fishfur (Mar 4, 2012)

Just curious.. how big are the planaria ?


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## Splak (May 1, 2013)

I had about 40-50 per tank between 0.1-0.3cm in size.


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