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#Post#: 2425--------------------------------------------------
New Tank in Montana
By: MontanaJosh Date: April 1, 2016, 9:44 am
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Hello from Montana. Just got a 75-gallon freshwater aquarium
setup about a month ago. I have 2 hang on the back filters, one
Aqueon 75 and an Emperor 400. Got the tank up and going for a
couple weeks before I added fish. I added 6 black skirt tetras
and 6 black neon tetras. I've been testing my water (Ph,
Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate) weekly. Starting Sunday, I saw a
huge spike in Nitrite that I can't seem to get to go away.
Ammonia is zero, and Nitrate is just barely present. But
Nitrite is about 0.5ppm (purple) on the test chart. I've done 3
25% (15 gallon) water changes this week trying to keep Nitrite
down to keep my fish healthy. Last night I changed the water
and tested again several hours later and still had about 0.5ppm
of Nitrite. When I test tap water, I get zero so I'm thinking
the test kit is ok. I "think" that my tank is still just
cycling and maybe I have to hold out until I get enough
beneficial bacteria to convert Nitrite to Nitrate. At least
that's what I'm hoping. I am really looking forward to the
hobby and glad to have found this forum for help and sharing of
fun stuff. If anyone has advice on what I should do, I'm all
ears. The big questions in my head are: Is changing water too
much/often going to make my development of the beneficial
bacteria to convert Nitrite to Nitrate take even longer? Am I
changing too much water/not enough? How often is too often for
water changes? I ordered a product called Seachem Prime off of
Amazon, but it's not here yet. Anyway, look forward to the
forum and appreciate any help.
#Post#: 2427--------------------------------------------------
Re: New Tank in Montana
By: Cole7115 Date: April 1, 2016, 8:42 pm
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I can't answer any of your questions, but I can give you some
advice. Move your fish to another tank and empty your 75 gallon
tank wash out your tank and all the equipment for it. I hope
this helps.
#Post#: 2431--------------------------------------------------
Re: New Tank in Montana
By: GaryJewett Date: April 4, 2016, 7:08 am
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DO NOT DO wht that previous person said. Your cycle is about
done, partial water changes will help
#Post#: 2436--------------------------------------------------
Re: New Tank in Montana
By: MontanaJosh Date: April 5, 2016, 1:36 pm
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Thank you GaryJewett. I did a 50% water change with my filters
off, then added some more starter bacteria to my filter. I also
added some fluval media to my filter. Then I added some Seachem
Prime to declorinate the water and it says it "neutralizes"
ammonia/nitirite/nitrate. I did a ammonia/nitrite/nitrate test
just prior to all of this and again about 2 hours after I turned
the filter back on and both times 0 ammonia, slight nitrate,
and full pegged purple nitrite. However, I tested again the
nest morning and Victory! Ammonia=0, nitrite =near 0,
nitrate=about 10ppm. Over the last several days, ammonia has
stayed 0, nitrite has climbed just barely (about 0.25ppm), and
nitrate is about 15ppm. I don't want to get cocky, but I
"think" my cycle is working! I think my mistake the first time
was leaving my filter run while I changed water from the tap and
not adding my declorinator and giving it time to work before
turning my filters back on.
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