Nitrite question

[tanyaclick]

Hi everyone, I am reaching out for your guidance please. I still have my fish in their temporary pool. The filter must finally be growing bacteria as I'm finally showing nitrates. The nitrates are only at .125 - .25. The ammonia is 2 ppm and no matter what I have done I have not been able to change that and they've been fine. I've heard from some nitrates are even more dangerous than ammonia. What do you think I should do? I was thinking to treat with SAFE, if needed.

 

[Mgessert]

Ammonia and nitrites are damaging and need to be addressed. I’m not sure what you have tried, but I would stop feeding and do water changes until they are gone. You mentioned nitrates in your post, but the video shows nitrites.

 

[WaterGardener]

Nitrites, with an I, are more toxic than ammonia. Nitrates, with an A, are less so.

As has been said before, you need more filtration. Your fish are producing more toxins than your filtration can handle.

And yes, dose with Safe every 48 hours to bind the ammonia and nitrite.

 

[tanyaclick]

This is my first day getting any nitrites. I built them a trickle filter with about 10 layers of sponge media, 1 double layer of bio balls, and today I just added 3 layers of ceramic media. Since they are in a temporary pool, moved from their original home when i first got them in october, the filter is building up for the first time and with the cold weather it seems to be taking forever. I've done a lot of water changes, safe. Prime, ammo lock, and tried zeolite.
I will dose with safe. Thank you.

 

[GBBUDD]

This is my first day getting any nitrites. I built them a trickle filter with about 10 layers of sponge media, 1 double layer of bio balls, and today I just added 3 layers of ceramic media. Since they are in a temporary pool, moved from their original home when i first got them in october, the filter is building up for the first time and with the cold weather it seems to be taking forever. I've done a lot of water changes, safe. Prime, ammo lock, and tried zeolite.
I will dose with safe. Thank you.

This time of year though bacteria is not thriving. So a shower is oxygenating the water and there are surely some bacteria that are alive but they are very weak by comparison. It's a big reason why we stop feeding when temps drop. that and food can rot in their gut because the digestive system can sow down so much. The most effective way to drop any levels in your water this time of year is to do water changes but those too need to be done slowly and the temps need to be the same.