nitrite disaster!

[cheyenne]

PLEASE HELP ME! I HAVE A 55 GALLON TANK WITH A DUSTING OF GRAVEL THAT IS EASY TO CLEAN. HAVE ALWAYS HAD IT. 2 AQUACLEAR 300 WITH 2 SPONGES EACH AND A MAGNUM 350 WITH SPONGES. 5 DISCUS 2 LARGE 3 SMALL. 0 AMMONIA JUST RAISED PH TO 7.5 TEMP 85. I DID'NT REALIZE I HAD TO DO 50% WATER CHANGES EVERYDAY BUT I KNOW NOW. PROBLEM IS THE FISH ALL HAD CLOUDY EYES SO I MEDICATED WITH MARACYN AND MELAFIX WITH SALT. CLEARED UP IN 4 DAYS. IT HAS BEEN ALMOST 3 WEEKS AND I HAVE TO DO 2 75% WITH 3 50% TO KEEP THE NITRITES DOWN. I BOUGHT A NITRATE TEST KIT AND IT ISN'T SHOWING ANY. I AM ONLY FEEDING 2 CUBES OF BLOODWORMS A DAY. I PULLED THE BIGGEST DISCUS OUT SHE WAS SHOWING STRESS ON HER FINS. THE OTHER LOOK GREAT AND HAVE A GOOD APPETITE. I AM USING 1 TEASPOON OF SALT PER GALLON AND THE PH IS STABLE. THE PH WAS 7.0. BY HIGH NITRITE I MEAN .25 OR A LITTLE LESS WATER POLLUTES IN ABOUT 4 0R 5 HOURS. SHOULD I BE GETTING UP AT 4AM TO DO A WATER CHANGE? IT GETS THE HIGHEST AT NIGHT. AM I DOING TOO MANY CHANGES? WHAT IS WRONG? WHY IS'NT IT GETTING BETTER? I WILL DO ANYTHING! HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Carol_Roberts]

Hi Mary:
Has everything settled down now that you've moved a biowheel to this tank?

Carol :heart1:

[Ardan]

It is possible that the meds affected the nitrogen cycle. the salt really helps the fish with nitrite if the ph is more than 7. SO just keep up wc's 50% per day.
The nitrogen cycle will bounce back. Usually within 1 to 2 wks.
keep nitrite from spiking by doing wc with aged water (stable water with stable ph)
hth

[cheyenne]

HI CAROL I MOVED THE BIOWHEEL AND STILL DID 4 50% CHANGES TODAY. THE NITRITE IS IN BETWEEN 0 AND .25. I NOW HAVE THE DREADED BB TANK. IT IS'NT AS BAD LOOKING AS I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE. I WILL TAKE A PICTURE AND SHOW IT TO YOU CAROL. YOU CAN SEE MY DISCUS. THEY ARE PET STORE DISCUS SO THEY AREN'T ANYTHING LIKE YOU HAVE BUT WHEN YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE OTHER TYPES THEY ARE THE MOST BEAUTIFUL FISH IN THE WORLD. THANKS AGAIN MARY ;D

[cheyenne]

THANK YOU ARDEN. IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING BETTER. I WILL LET YOU KNOW WHEN THINGS ARE BACK TO NORMAL MARY

[Carol_Roberts]

I bet most all of us started with discus from the pet store. I know I did. Post your pictures in the beginners section - we'd love to see them. Be sure to tell us a little about each one.

Carol :heart1:

[cheyenne]

HELLO EVERYONE. THE NITITES ARE NORMAL NOW. IT TOOK AROUND 45 DAYS OF CONSTANT WATERCHANGES. WHAT I HAVE LEARNED IS NO 1. NEVER HAVE GRAVEL IN YOUR TANK. YOU THINK ITS CLEAN BUT IT ISN"T. NO 2. DON"T THINK YOU DON"T HAVE TO DO AT LEAST 40% WATERCHANGES EVERYDAY. NO 3. WHEN YOU GET NEW DISCUS AND THEY DON"T EAT RIGHT AWAY DIAGNOSE THEM WITH HEX OR SOME MAJOR LIFE THREATENING DISEASE. LEAVE THEM ALONE FOR A WHILE. I WAS SURE ONE WAS DYING. GAVE UP MEDICATION IN A HOSPITAL TANK. PUT HIM BACK I N AND IT ATE RIGHT AWAY. NOW IS KING OF THE OTHERS AND SMALL TOO. HE NEVER ATE IN THE HOSPITAL TANK. NO 4. WHEN YOU HAVE CLOUDY EYES IT CAN BE CURED WITH SALT AND LOTS OF WATERCHANGES. IT IS CAUSED BY BAD WATER QUALITY. DON"T PANIC AND START USING ANTIBIOTICS. I USED MARACYN 11 AND REGULAR MARACYN AND IT DESTROYED MY FILTER. I HAVE BEEN THROUGH HELL. ALL OF THE FISH ARE DOING GREAT. THANKS EVERYONE I DON"T KNOW WHAT I WOULD HAVE DONE WITHOUT YOU LOVE MARY

[Carol_Roberts]

:thumbsup:

[marti]

Doesn't anyone use Nitra-zorb? Is that a no-no? (I'm new.) I just started up 2 tanks with Nitra-zorb and it has kept the ammonia and nitrite very low. I don't have a nitrate test kit, so I don't know about that. I have done a few H2O changes because the water was rather cloudy and yucky looking, but they weren't more than 50% at any time. So far, they are doing ok. The 60 gal has now cleared up and looks great and the fish are eating, etc. Let me know if this is a bad idea.

[Carol_Roberts]

We try to have our filters fully cycled before adding discus. When something happens to compromise our filters we use water changes to reduce ammonia, nitrIte and nitrAte levels.

Young discus especially need daily water changes. In my opinion it is better to remove and dilute the pollutants with water changes than binding them in the tank with ammolock or nitra sorb products.