How to Get Lower Nitrite Levels in a Fish Tank

The environment in a fish tank is a very delicate ecosystem. You have to find the right balance between having enough and having too much nitrite in the tank. Too much nitrite is bad for the fish. Knowing the steps to take to lower the nitire levels means life or death to your fish.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

1. Test the fish tank water. You need to know exactly how high the nitrite level is before you begin to lower it. Buy a water testing kit at your local fish store that will test the nitrite level.

2. Research the appropriate nitrite level for your specific fish. The level will vary depending on the type of tank and the type of fish. Certain fish can thrive in a nitrite level of 20 ppm, while other fish require a lower level.

3. Clean the tank. A dirty tank that has plenty of fish waste products has a higher nitrite level than a clean fish tank. It’s important to keep the tank clean in order to maintain a low nitrite level.

4. Change the tank water. If cleaning the tank doesn’t work, then you might have to change the water in the tank to reduce the nitrite levels. Try removing ¼ of the water from the tank and replacing it with clean water. This will serve to reduce the nitrite levels significantly. If removing ¼ of the water is not enough, repeat the process until you achieve the right nitrite level.

5. Keep the fish lean and mean. Over feeding fish is a common problem. It’s not healthy for the fish nor is it healthy for the tank. The more food a fish eats, the more it will poop. The more fish poop in the water, the higher the nitrite level.

6. Place live plants in the tank. Live plants love nitrites. Introducing live plants to the tank will help to lower the nitrite level in the tank.

[ekbarclay]

on 6/30/2009 I am not certain that any fish can survive in an environment with 20 ppm of nitrite (NO2-). Nitrate(NO3) can be tolerated and even improve plant growth at this concentration, but nitrite destroys the liver, kidneys and immune system of almost every fresh and salt water fish and should usually be kept at less than 1 ppm.

Because nitrite poisoning can kill fish quickly, it is often better to have them undergo the stress involved of a big (30%) water change. The water change may kill them also, especially if they are already immune suppressed because of high nitrite levels. So, if levels are very high, you must choose the lesser of two evils.

There are products available to detoxify nitrite in an emergency, but they are only temporary solutions and a water change will be necessary to keep nitrite levels low.

[procrstinator]

on 5/24/2008 so you are saying to remove and replace water untill nitrite levels are low enough to sustaine the type of fish you have? Well then that is counterdicting a artical that says to much removeing of water can hurt the enviroment.