3 comments to “How can I get the nitrites down in my aquarium?”

1. gustavo r wrote:
   24. April 2009 at 2:01 pm :

   lol…

   There are several ways to lower the nitrates and ph among ammonia and such…

   #1) Water change (20% change a week if new tank, and 25% change a month for established tank)

   #2) Chemicals… Yes, there are tank chemicals that will lower such things. (go to a petstore) a brand i use for such things is TANK BUDDIES

   #3) overstocking… If you have to many fish in your tank, nitrates are going to be HIGH!

   #4) Water quality… related to #1 but yes, you must have good water

   Hope you fix your nitrate problem.
   I suggest you go to your local fish store and ask them the same question.

   if you want to get rid of it fast though… use TANK BUDDIES

2. GoldfishGuru wrote:
   27. April 2009 at 7:13 am :

   Water changes are the best way to get your water readings where they should be. What kind of fish do you have? What size tank? If your tank is a newly set up tank you may have to do water changes daily until your filter bugs get up to speed.

   Here are a few good articles:

3. swimmer dude wrote:
   27. April 2009 at 11:27 pm :

   How old is your tank? It sounds as if you added fish before the nitrogen cycle finished. What this means is the following:

   Fish poop
   Poop breaks down in the water and turns into ammonia (ammonia is toxic to fish and can kill them).
   Good bacteria builds up naturally to break down the ammonia into nitrites (nitrites are also toxic to fish, but less than ammonia).
   Another good bacteria builds up naturally to break down the nitrites to nitrates (nitrates are not toxic to fish, but it is food for unwanted algae).

   If the above cycle didn’t break down the ammonia to zero then the nitrites to zero then the nitrates to under 20 ppm, then your cycle didn’t complete.

   The addition of more fish before the cycle completes, never gives the good bacteria a chance to ‘catch up’ to the amount of ammonia being produced.

   The BEST way to get your tank to cycle is naturally, without any chemical additives. When your tank is brand new, no fish, just add a bit of fish food to it and the bacteria will begin to grow (unseen to the naked eye), and break down the food till it’s gone.

   Hope this helped you to understand a little of the biology and chemistry of the aquarium hobby.

   Good luck on your new tank.