# New problem with Nitrite and Ammonia in Established Tank



## Ayamehoujun (Apr 5, 2014)

I have had my tank setup since January, took a long time to cycle but got everything where it needed to be. Lost a few fish when the nitrites cycled but tank has been ok for about 4 weeks. Previously running a marineland canister filter with undergravel filter. I recently purchased an Eheim 2211 and ran both filters for at least 2 weeks now. Marineland filter quit working on me this past weekend and now my nitrites and ammonia have spiked. Nitrites read .5ppm and Ammonia is at .25ppm. Previously levels were 0. Been attempting to control the problem with water changes and API Quickstart liquid additions, but nitrites remain at .5ppm.

Looking for ideas on what could be causing the sudden appearance of nitrites and ammonia. Eheim is rated for up to 40gal so I thought there would be no problem handling the bioload.

Tank is planted with one madagascar lace bulb and what i believe to be Hygrophila polysperma.

ph is between 7.8 and 8.
Nitrates are at 10-20ppm.


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

You summed up the cause of your problem in your post. Your established filter stopped working. 2 weeks is not long enough for the new filter to build up a colony of beneficial bacteria of any significant size. Also, if you have an established tank where most of the biofiltering bacteria are concentrated in 1 filter, then you add another filter, odds are the bulk of the biofiltration bactera are going to remain in that first filter for the forseeable future unless you intervene to make it otherwise. How long has the marineland filter been dead? If it's just a couple of hours you can still salvage the biomedia inside it and transfer it to the Eheim. If it's been a long time, the biofilter bacteria in the marineland may be dead, since canisters become anaerobic environments when there is no flow.


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## chopsteeks (Jul 23, 2013)

Get Seachem Stability to help seed more beneficial bacteria into the new filter.


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

Tetra Safestart is 100x better than stability.


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## chopsteeks (Jul 23, 2013)

Why so Pablo ? Can you on you expand on your claim why Tetra safe is better ? Did you have issues with Seachem's stability to make this claim ?


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

chopsteeks said:


> Why so Pablo ? Can you on you expand on your claim why Tetra safe is better ? Did you have issues with Seachem's stability to make this claim ?


It's not a claim it's a fact. Safestart is nitrifying bacteria. Stability is heterotrophic bacteria.


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## chopsteeks (Jul 23, 2013)

Pablo, I asked you explain why and you come up with this 'it is a fact' ****.

Do u really know ?


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

chopsteeks said:


> Pablo, I asked you explain why and you come up with this 'it is a fact' #%$&.
> 
> Do u really know ?


Yes. Safestart is nitrifying bacteria. Stability is heterotrophic bacteria. As I said earlier. That's the explanation in it's entirety and it's pretty straight forward.
I'm not trying to be rude or anything. There is no need for the aggression...


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## pablo111 (Dec 10, 2013)

Stability contains mainly faculative and heterotrophic bacteria with some nitrifying bacteria but they aren't the same bacteria that would naturally form in your aquarium. Safestart is based on the old bio-spira formula which is the actual bacteria that naturally colonize in the aquarium so it's more effective.

Regardless, neither of these products work well. If one is worthless the other is worth maybe twenty five cents in the grand scheme of things. JM2C.


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## smitty814 (Sep 27, 2012)

A healthy aquarium has both heterotrophic and autotrophic bactria. They usually exist 50-50 in the healthy tank. Heterotrophic bacteria break down the organic waste and produces ammonia. Autotrophic bactria break down the ammonia and nitrite.


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