Great...wtf do I do now?

[zackish]

So last night I test all my water....ammonia 0, nitrite 0, nitrates pretty high, 40+.

I do a 75% water change today put in all my plants and have it all setup and now:
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 2.0
Nitrates 80

WTF is that...especially the nitrates, I just changed almost all the water and they are still sky rocketed.
Another water change?
Put a shrimp back in and cycle it again?

[cocoa_pleco]

test your tapwater. that may be a cause. else, check for rotting plants or fish

[zackish]

test your tapwater. that may be a cause. else, check for rotting plants or fish

well there is no fish in there but I put all my plants and my driftwood in and the plants I just bought today and some of them have yellow dieing leaves.....did the plants at the store live in a really bad tank that I transferred my water to in my tank? If I wake up in the morning will my tank read differently?

This is what my tank looks like right now:

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]


Also, the guy at the petstore said I can clip that big plant that is in the back corner and replant it cuz it's like one big new sprout.

[Rue]

...I hate when parameters go wacky...

Let's see...did you stir up a bunch of gravel after the water change or before your 2nd test? The dying leaves are likely adding to the nitrites...

Never add the store tank water...it might have added to the problem...

[Rue]

BTW...tank looks good...

...but I'm concerned about your table...although it looks sturdy overall...there's really nothing supporting the weight of your tank except for the top sheet of plywood...unless there are supports underneath and out of sight?

[zackish]

Ok...some relieving news...as far as the nitrAtes, I tested them wrong. I used liquid indicator number 2 first, so basically I tested backwards. Anyways, my NITRATES are like 5.0.
My tap water is 0 nitrates and 0 nitrites.
Now the only thing I can think of that happened last night was that I came back to examine my NitrItes after about 10 minutes instead of 5 and it read 0.
Also, I didn't add the water from the pet store I just simply took the plants out and put them in, should I have washed them first?
Now the only problem in my tank is the nitrites. Should I rip off the dieing leaves and test again tomorow morning? And yes I did stir up a lot of gravel when changing the water and putting the plants in.

BTW here is the pic of the table, I have a mil pics of me setting up this thing but I was so mad when I tested my water I forgot about it.

[Only Registered Users Can See Links.]

I also plan to have my tank a lot more planted, I would like to have some java fern across that main piece of driftwood and across the bottom in the middle but they didn't have it today. I also have some questions on 2 of the plants I bought which I am going to post in the plant section. I think I am suppose to anchor them and I took close up pics of them.

[Rue]

...I never rinse the leaves...but I suppose you could...

Just no point in adding water that may contain pathogens...

I'd just leave it alone since you have no fish in it...let it continue to cycle...

Regarding the table...nice job...I quite like it...but whats supporting the top?

[zackish]

there is a whole frame underneath the sheet of plywood and a piece that goes acros that supports it. Anyways, should I pull the somewhat dead leaves off?
My tank was done cycling last night I don't understand how I should "let it continue. Is it something that will go back to normal overnight?

[Rue]

You can pull the dead leaves off...they won't revive...and by pulling them off they won't add to the ammonia...

...and no...the water parametres won't go back overnight...but the higher nitrites will encourage more nitrifying bacterial growth...and with the plants in place, it may even bit a bit speedier than it would be if there were no plants in place...

[zackish]

But I don't understand!!! it was cycled last night now I go to this!

[Rue]

...even a cycled tank will fluctuate when the levels of toxins excede the bacteria present to break them down...that's why it's recommended that you don't add too many new fish at any one time...the tank has to adjust to the increased ammonia...

[Nick_Pavlovski]

Nice looking tank.
I'd leave it for a week, keep doing partial water changes, don't agitate the gravel.

What sort of filtration have you got going on, again?

[zackish]

...even a cycled tank will fluctuate when the levels of toxins excede the bacteria present to break them down...that's why it's recommended that you don't add too many new fish at any one time...the tank has to adjust to the increased ammonia...

It makes sense but I started my tank with well over 8 ppm of ammonia which means the bacteria that break it down into nitrites should be really strong and while it was breaking it down I am sure it formed a lot of nitrites. Therefore the nitrite eating ones should be very stonrg because there was so much of it to break down. I am just going by what makes logical sense. Now should I put some shrimp back in there for ammonia or just wait for the nitrites to go away?

[zackish]

Nice looking tank.
I'd leave it for a week, keep doing partial water changes, don't agitate the gravel.

What sort of filtration have you got going on, again?

Just a crappy HOB topfin thing. I am getting a canister this week from a friend of mine at work or I am just going to order one.

[cocoa_pleco]

canisters are the way to go. i have a RESUN, fluval, and oscar, but im planning on getting 3 european ones when i go in august and i already have transformers.

with a canister filter, your tank will be extremely healthy

[Lady Hobbs]

I may be understanding your post wrong but if you've been cycling and your water is now ammonia 0, nitrites 0 and you have a large amount of nitrates, then your tank should be cycled.

Your water is a bit cloudy but this can be due to your digging in the gravel some to plant. You probably disturbed the bacteria in the gravel a bit but it will clear up. You can't blame it on your poor filtration since no fish have been in the tank.

To reduce the nitrates, do a water change of about 50% and add your fish.

I like your tank and stand. Good job.

[zackish]

Thank you lady, and you did read it wrong. My NitrItes are like 2.0 which were 0 two nights ago. I did 75% water change yesturday put my plants in and came up with 2.0 nitrites for some reason.

I tested it this morning again and exact same thing. You guys think I should just throw a shrimp back in because that's what method I used to cycle and wait for the nitrites to dissapear?
Some are suggesting a water change but in case I got a false reading 2 nights ago I don't want to do a water change have it be fine for a day and then have high levels of nitrites reappear.