nitrate/nitrite question?

My tank has been reading high in nitrites and nitrates for about a week. I have been doing partial water changes daily and yesterday twice. My tap water measures 0 for both nitrates and nitrates. Ammonia has been zero and today is between 0-.025 but I still think it is closer to zero (very yellow)
My conditioner is NovAqua plus (Echinacea, vitamins, and anti-virus protection) Says will not interfere with tests results of kits.......
My fish look healthy but two guppies are showing slight damage to their anal fins....I think it may be due to fighting though
I have 5 guppies
1 dalmatian Molly
4 Platies
1 Pleco
1 Clown fish
and a lot of fry

What am I doing wrong and why are my levels so high

Current levels
Nitrate 2-5 and closer to the dark 5 color
Nitrite 1-2 closer to 1 though
Ammonia 0-.25 has been zero during all these high readings and I still think it may be zero and my eyes are trying to find a solution to the green
Partial water changes have not done anything to alleviate th

2008-07-21T16:36:31Z

pleco clown sorry
no they are all tropical. The tank is a few months old And did have 0 readings across the board. I generally do water changes every 3 days at 10-15%. I had bulbs that did not sproat and started to rot before all these problems. I removed them and cleaned the tank promptly! This was almost 2 weeks ago.

2008-07-21T16:38:35Z

tank is 55 gallons
Food is normal flakes once a day and brine shrimp every few days. Have lessoned the feeding amount in the last two weeks and am positive I am not overfeeding may even be underfeeding as I go under the reccomended amount

2008-07-22T19:54:26Z

HELP nitrite spikes going on 5 days (that I know of but under 8)?

I am still going out of my mind with my nitrite levels.

Currently my Ammonia is still 0 (has been for over 2 weeks)
my Nitrate is now 0 (yesterday was between .25 and .50 ppm)
But my nitrite is still fluctuating between 2-5
I have been changing 15% of my water twice daily and it has not changed it at all....I test it before the change 5 minutes after the change and one hour after and the color is always between 2 and 5 dark purple.

I tested my water conditioner also (mixed with water and it came out 0 ppm just like the regular water. I have not lost any fish but I am worried that something is very wrong and this is just a symptom. Last week I lost a fish which was in a dive position stuck in the gravel (She was a molly) which made me test the levels only 3 days after my last test.
My tank is 55 gallons
3 platys
1 moly
5 guppies
1 cory catfish
1 small Clown Pleco
Did not fill tank all the way hoping to keep oxygen leve

Sylvia C2008-07-21T16:33:40Z

Favorite Answer

If you didnt cycle your tank before adding fish this is to be expected or if you cycled the tank but added all of your fish at the same time. Keep doing as many water changes as you can. It would help to return some of the fish I asume you have proper filters for the tank, if not go get them. you didnt mention the size of your tank. Maybe it is overstocked. Also lesson the amout that you feed the for a wiel as this will produce less waist

good luck to you and your finned friends.

00

Anonymous2008-07-21T17:05:51Z

You are trying to fix a Non-problem.

A nitrate reading of 5 is very good, anything under 30 is OK.

If you are getting trace readings of ammonia and nitrite, leave your filters alone. Messing with them will only make the problems worse, unless they are blocked up. Then just rinse them out in old tank water and put them back in.

Once your filter is working correctly it will process any ammonia or nitrite into nitrate, and you remove that with partial water changes. But a Nitrate of 5 is very low.

Ian

10

ordaz2016-10-05T15:54:17Z

The ammonia (NH4+/NH3) is a trouble-free bio-organic and organic molecule it incredibly is a waste product made via fish and maximum decomposing remember. First degree micro organism colonize and convert it to Nitrite (NO2-) a great feat because it has broken 4 H bonds and created 2 O bonds, additionally the reason those adult males require oxygen to stay. the 2nd degree micro organism take long to settle in and that they convert Nitrite to Nitrate (NO3-). what's thrilling right it is that purely including yet another O to the nitrogen molecule reasons it to in basic terms be poisonous at severe ranges. in general it is probable brought about via Nitrite having the ability to slot right into a smaller area much less complicated and to truly mimic a molecule in the fish's respiration development. Kinda like how carbon monoxide (CO) can mimic oxygen in our bodies and reason us to pass out. hence via including the third O the molecule is now too great to diffuse into the fish's equipment and now in basic terms at severe concentrations, genuinely while it starts off dominating subtle oxygen in the tank, that is going to become poisonous (using asphyxiation).

00

billcollins5312008-07-21T16:28:23Z

You have a Clown fish in with these freshwater fish?? Was that a spelling error or is that how it really is?
How long have you had this clown fish in here?


How long have you had this tank running? This is a mystery for sure.
What is newest added thing to your tank? What are you feeding your fish?

Answer these for us in the "Additional details" and hopefully somebody will get back to you.
Please excuse my ignorance, but this is something I am not too knowledgeable on!!
Those questions that I asked above will help one of the pro's out with their answer.

Good evening!!
Best regards,
billcollins531

01

Arlene2008-07-21T16:29:28Z

Do not use tap water!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Most pet store sell Reverse Osmosis Water or buy your own system.

02

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