# HELP, Can't get nitrite down.



## pjbodani (May 16, 2015)

I have had tanks most of my life. After a year I got a tank that is 60 gallons[same size as last time] I tried cycling it by adding a few fish. Currently, I have approx 18 neon tetras, three quite small bristle nose plecos, three cory cats and a beta. I feed them 2-3 times a day, small amounts. Flake food, frozen brine shrimp or frozen blood worms. I have no visible allege. Tank is planted with banana plants, amazon swords & most recently, bamboo. I also have moss balls coming. I have used "prime" twice in a few days, and it actually raised the level of nitrite. I have lost a few fish. Water appears clear. I have driftwood in tank. PH in the 7's, despite using PH down but my water is very hard. I have aquarium peat moss to place in my fillter, coming. I have six discus coming on 5/27/15 and am desperately trying to get the parameters correct. I change the water weekly, 1/4 and then 1/3. Tank is three weeks old. Ammonia is zero, nitrates are zero. Its just the nitrites that are FIVE and maybe would be higher if the chart showed higher. I use API drops to test but also took water sample to fish store and they got the same levels. I have googled all I can find, I have gone to local shops and am at my Witt's end. I know its only three weeks but I also used instant start and label said it would allow the cycling to be quick with the ability to add fish right away. I have no idea what else to do. As most know, Discus require pristine water conditions and they are fairly costly. I do not want to get them, only to have them die. I would greatly appreciate any advice. Praying also hasn't worked. The temperature is 82-84 but plan on raising slowly to 87 as recommended by the discus store. The only other info I can add is I placed two almond leaves but they are at least six months old and I have no idea if that makes a difference but trying everything. Any advice???????????????


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## SeaHorse (Dec 27, 2010)

Keep going. You need to keep doing water changes. You are very close. This will dilute down the numbers. If you haven't made it completely thru the cycle by the time the discus come, you may/will need to do daily water changes with Prime to get thru it. Don't forget that adding a batch of new fish will also add more ammonia so more frequent water changes will be needed. You are still 10 days away, hang in there.


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## beaslbob (Oct 17, 2012)

I would add fast growing plants like anacharis and lotsa them.

then stop all feeding until nitrItes come down.

I would only add prime when the free ammonia is elevated. You might try the seachem ammonia multitest or the seachem in tank ammonia dot. Most ammonia kits like the api will still test positive for ammonia even though prime has locked up the ammonia. The danger is you keep adding prime when none is needed and prime also locks up oxygen which can suffocate the fish and they appear to die with symptoms very similar to ammonia poisoning.

FWIW a nitrite spike (pegging the test kit 5ppm+++++) can be very common on cycling tanks. It comes down once I stopped all feeding and can drop to 0 in a few days once it starts dropping.


my .02


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