# Having trouble building Nitrite - Nitrate bacteria



## Canadian731 (Jun 25, 2013)

Hey guys, So about a month and a half ago I decided to get a 10gallon tank with my girlfriend, stupidly listening to petsmart employees I added the fish within 48hours of setting up the tank and now im still in my fish in cycle, I used a full bottle of nutrafin cycle and so far my ammonia has dropped to minimal levels, but my nitrites get to a pretty high level after two days without a water change. I have been doing a 25% water change for the past week and a half, however I am reading very minimal nitrates, anything I can do to make those bacteria build faster?


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

What kind of filter are you using? Perhaps there's not enough floor or surface area?


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## Immus21 (Jun 14, 2010)

You could add some bacteria from another fully cycled tank. Someone near you may be able to lend you a seeded sponge filter or filter media. Also you could try a bacteria in a bottle such as Stability Seachem. Stability

GL


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## Canadian731 (Jun 25, 2013)

effox said:


> What kind of filter are you using? Perhaps there's not enough floor or surface area?


Its a HOB in water one that came with the kit its a cartridge filter which has i believe charcoal in it, I do have a aquaclear 200 aswell which I just got, not sure if that would be too much flow for the tank


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

An ac 200 would have too high a gph for a 10 gallon, but as Immus suggested get some seeded media from an established tank. If they have a spare sponge filter or something, even just running that simultaneously could help if you wouldn't be able to squeeze some life juice out of it. If you can get some media that will fit into the hob, that would be more ideal I'd believe.


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## Diztrbd1 (Apr 21, 2010)

If you don't have any, you might add some live plants, they help to reduce it.


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## Canadian731 (Jun 25, 2013)

Grreat Choice™ Internal Power Filter - Internal Filters - Filters - PetSmart

thats the filter currently in that tank, the aq 200 is for my new 33 gallon im cycling, could I just throw some sponge in that filter for more SA for bacteria?

Also as stated I used Nutrafin Cycle it kickstarted my cycle but it has stalled


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## Immus21 (Jun 14, 2010)

You're gonna have a tough time fitting any extra media in that internal filter. I woukd ask around on the forum and borrow and or buy a seeded sponge filter.


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## effox (Apr 21, 2010)

I don't have a sponge filter seeded at the moment, I put it in storage, but even just having someone funnel what is squeezed out and sope it into the new sponge worked well for me.


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## jbyoung00008 (May 16, 2011)

That filter is small and probably doesnt have much space for the beneficial bacteria to live. Also Seachem Stability is supposed to be a better product than Nutrifin cycle. Both work.

IMO ditch the small internal filter. Use the aquaclear. Turn the waterflow down on it. Go buy some bio media. Aquaclear makes biomedia for its filters or buy a different brand and put it in a filter sock a place it in the aquaclear. Best thing to do would be find a smaller aquaclear and do what I mentioned. Filtration is 1 of the most important parts to having a nice tank for a long time. Starter kits usually give crummy filters. Upgrade to something better. People have used Aquaclears on here for cheap nall the time.


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## AWW (Apr 22, 2010)

I can give you an old sponge from my tank, Im in north van though.


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## Master wilkins (Dec 10, 2012)

You didn't mention if you have any biological media in your filters. If you don't, thats your problem right there.


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## deepRED (May 22, 2010)

Seachem stability works. I've used the product to set up tanks and have added fish from day 1. 

An old sponge from an existing tank is cheaper though. 

Plants are good for the long term, but short term, unless you load the tank it's not going to do much. Plants need time to settle in and start growing, and until then, they won't absorb enough nutrients to make an immediate difference. 
If your nitrites are high, your fish won't live long, so time is not something you have. However, it also means your more than mid way through your cycle. Easiest way to remove those nitrites in a 10 gallon is through dilution. Water changes. Keep them up daily and reduce your feedings until it gets sorted. 

Also, are you cleaning your filter each time you do a water change? Leave it be for the first couple months. Something doesn't add up. Something is disturbing the bacterial colonies. Even without bio- media there should be enough space on sponges and even filter floss to establish enough bacteria to complete your cycle. 

Good luck with getting it worked out.


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## 2wheelsx2 (Apr 21, 2010)

There's no mention of what you have for livestock in the tank. Can you tell us what you have for fish in there? No amount of filtration going to help if you have Oscars or goldfish in there.


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