Habitat - Indoor :: Compatable Fish and Nitrite Problems

Turtle tank setups and other indoor configurations.

Post Posted: Tue Feb 05, 2013 11:05 pm   Compatable Fish and Nitrite Problems

I would like to add more fish to my 80 gallon tank. My nitrites are high (3-5ppm) and I think it's due to the filter intake being so high up above the sand it doesn't take in poop. I was thinking a catfish would be good to eat that stuff or maybe a power head to stir it up, but I'm under the impression those create current side to side. I have 2 eheim filters. the pro 2 has biomedia, substrate and carbon (in that order)and the eheim 213 canister has bio media, filter floss (i ran out of substrate) and a bunch of carbon in an attempt to cut down the nitrites. I tried water changes but they do not do much in reducing the levels.

nitrates are at 20ppm
hardness is about 100 to 150 (GH) ppm
alkalinity (KH) is 40-60ppm
pH is 6.8 to 7.2
Leonardo
 
Posts: 11
Joined: Aug 29, 2012

Post Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 10:47 am   Re: Compatable Fish and Nitrite Problems

How old is the tank? Has it ever been fully cycled (0 ammonia and nitrite)? Which two eheim filters do you have?

What are you measuring the nitrite with? Those dip strips are wildly inaccurate. You might take a sample of your water to a quality LFS (saltwater specialty shops are the best) to have it tested.
User avatar
VeipaCray
Moderator
 
Posts: 4311
Joined: Aug 31, 2009
Location: Naperville, IL
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 12:04 pm   Re: Compatable Fish and Nitrite Problems

I'd get rid of the filter floss too. It clogs too quickly in a turtle tank.
User avatar
devilduck
 
Posts: 957
Joined: May 11, 2012
Location: Chicago, IL.
Gender: Male

Post Posted: Wed Feb 06, 2013 4:14 pm   Re: Compatable Fish and Nitrite Problems

eheim pro 2 and a canister 2213. and I am using the api dip strips. i also have an api phosphate test tube. I just went to the store and got API stress zyme+
Leonardo
 
Posts: 11
Joined: Aug 29, 2012


Return to Habitat - Indoor

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 164 guests