Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

Patience Fishrcool.....

I think something is beginning to happen. My water results today
temp 19
ph 8
ammonia - between .5 and 1
nitrite - 1 (extremely dark..either 1 or 5, hard to tell)
Nitrate - 10
I fed the fish 1 Tablespoon yesterday. this has not affected my ammonia levels. I will feed them again today. They seem a lot happier with the salt in. There are only a few fish flashing now, and not to the same extent.

Sounds good.... just be patient... don't go sneaking in that extra half tablespoon or extra feed...

I'll be good

My water results today
temp 17C
ph 8
ammonia - 0.5
nitrite - 5
nitrate - 10

Should I feed the fish today? The nitrite reading may even be higher than 5. My test only goes to 5 but it is extremely dark. I guess this is the nitrite spike I have read about How long does it usually last? Thanks.

Keep testing
you might have missed it
since your nitrate is higher...

Yep, test again tomorrow... could well be that the nitrite will have dropped... you've salted so things should be OK... skip the feed tonite or tomorrow...

If it's still high tomorrow a water change might be in order... but it's a last resort as you're close to cycling...

I tested the nitrite again but I really can't tell what colour it is. It is bright purple within a couple of seconds. The fish seem really happy. I have fed them 1/2 Tablespoon of food today. I will wait to see about a water change tomorrow. My thinking is that if they are happily swimming around I should leave them alone. If they are gulping at the surface I will do a water change. ????? Does that seem right?

Pretty much... steady as things go.... "P".... the nitrite will drop... and when it does will do so rapidly... it may even do so overnight....

Test results for today
temp 16C
ammonia - .25
nitrite - over 5
nitrate - 10
I don't think I will do a water change today. The fish seem happy. They are swimming around, stopped flashing, looking hungry. I might feed them 1/2 Tablespoon later today to see how they are going.

Does anyone know if you can get spare test tubes for the master water test? My little helpers managed to break two in the first week.

My plants look like they are starting to grow. There just doesn't seem enough room in the grow bed to grow everything I need. Fourth grow bed in the planning stage

When the nitrite or whatever is too high to test well, just dilute your fish water (say 1 part fish water to 4 parts tap) and test that, then multiply your result by 5.

I don't think they gulp at the surface with nitrites. I think flashing is more typical, but I don't recall..

thanks Hydrophilia, I'll go and do that now and see what happens.

My nitrite level is still over 5 but the fish seem happy. My ammonia has dropped to below .25 I am hoping the nitrite level will come down soon. the plants are getting bigger. They are finally starting to grow.

Hang in there keep the feed way way low and Patients. The Nitrite Spike is usually harder to get past but at least salt helps that.

The fish all seem happy still. I did the nitrite test with one part tank water to four parts tap water. My reading was still five before I multiplied it by five. I don't think that can be correct. Surely if my nitrite level was 25 my fish would be dead They seem happy and have all stopped flashing. I fed them 3/4 of a Tablespoon today. They ate fine.

At this point I don't think I will do a water change as they all seem happy???? I hope that is okay.

Does the nitrite spike usually last for a few days or a few weeks??? I'm not impatient I am just interested to know. My ammonia today was .25 so it has dropped a lot but is still not on zero. My nitrate level was still sitting on 10. I am already thinking of how to improve the system...add grow beds etc. I am definitely catching the 'bug'.