Problems with nitrites

[plecocicho]

Hi,
i own a 110 liter aquarium , which is planted with crtypts, has a gravel bottom and is a home to two red turks , an agamyx cat and three bristlenoses. I had three dicus originally but those two are a pair taht has layed eggs two times. One discus caught some bacterial disease so i had to treat him with baktopur direct tablets. Those tablets are strong so i had to cycle my aquarium once more. I did wc once a day and used sera nitrivec. After a while i used nutrafin cycle, but the nitrites apeared ever time. I monitored the rise of nitrites one week and they did not come over 0,7 mg/l.
What would be a solution to my problem?
A) get fast growing plants taht would use it all up
B) get another external filter (i have eheim 2213)
C) use co2 and daily fertilizers to promote growth of crypts (they are know wery slowly growing and are covered with green algae

[Graham]

Hi, How about doing nothing and just giving the bacteria a bit of time to catch up. A bit of salt will protect the fish from any brown blood disease problems

[BSW]

You say the nitrates appeared over time ? How much time ? How long has it been since the tank was treated with the baktopur direct tablets ?
If it were me, I'd use a good hardy floating plant like wisteria, but, I'd want to know why the nitrates are rising too. Are you vacuuming the tank on a regular basis ? Over feeding ? How large are your water changes ? And how often are you doing them now ? Do you clean the filter regularly ?
The algae is comming from extra nitrates I would presume. Crypts are root feeders, they might be growing slow because of low nutrients in the substrate. Are they in just plain gravel ?
B

[Don Trinko]

Typicaly once the amonia goes to 0 within 2 weeks the nitrites go to 0 and you start to get nitrates. As Graham said the salt will prevent nitrite poisoning so you do not have to worry, just check your nitrites regularly untill they disapear. Make sure you test for amonia just in case. It should be 0 but it can be a bigger problem than the nitrites. Don T.

[Graham]

You say the nitrates appeared over time ? How much time ? How long has it been since the tank was treated with the baktopur direct tablets ?
If it were me, I'd use a good hardy floating plant like wisteria, but, I'd want to know why the nitrates are rising too. Are you vacuuming the tank on a regular basis ? Over feeding ? How large are your water changes ? And how often are you doing them now ? Do you clean the filter regularly ?
The algae is comming from extra nitrates I would presume. Crypts are root feeders, they might be growing slow because of low nutrients in the substrate. Are they in just plain gravel ?
B

Hey B wrong nitrogen we're talking NO2, not NO3

[BSW]

OOPS !
Sorry Graham, I miss read that !
B