Levels won't Drop

[ivy2dw7]

I'm trying to cycle a quarantine tank, need to treat ich for the two of my remaining fish. Just lost one yesterday to ich, lost another one over the weekend to a stone crab (fed him to a trigger at the lfs). Anyways, it's been cycling for a week and the levels will not drop. Ammonia has dropped but nitrite is still well over 5, and now the nitrates are in the 40 range. Nitrite has been over 5 for 3 days now and hasn't dropped. I've even did practically a 50% water change, it's only a 6g. Anything I can do to speed it up? My 2 remaining fish aren't covered as badly as the little one was, but I don't want to lose them either. Any suggestions?

 

[loopy]

Empty the tank, then fill it with water from your main tank....then add the fish and treat them. The water in your main tank, while your treating them, can then be replaced. The water in your main tank is already cycled, could take weeks before your qt is and by then....they might already be...ah...gone. I'd just filler up from my main tank. 6 gallon...hope the fish aren't too big, watch your levels....they will change quickly in such a small tank. Will require lots of water changes but it can work. (Easy though as it's small.) Leaving it bare bottom aren't you?

 

[ivy2dw7]

Yeah, nothin in there, just put a background on the bottom and the back. When I did the water changes it was with water from the main tank in hopes that it would speed it up, I did it yesterday when my little clown started dying. Sadly it didn't do a thing to the levels and the fish died before I could do anything. I just have one other clown and a royal gramma left. Royal gramma is about 2" and the clown is a little over an inch, should be fine. I just need to find some sort of thing to put in there for them to hide in.

 

[loopy]

pvc pipe, pick up a cheap piece at a hardware store. Maybe could use a clay pot, but not sure about that. Don't without someone else saying it's okay, I am kinda stupid about that stuff. But don't just add the main tank water, dump all the water out of the qt and refill it with already cycled water from your main tank or your just beating yourself over the head.
good luck!

 

[who dey]

go to your LFS and buy a packet of Bio Spira,($30) it will speed it up instantly, especially in such a small tank. Your levels will be where they should be very quickly! Some dont think it works but i feel it really does

 

[loopy]

OH yes, Bio Spira works, I totally agree, they may even give you samples, enough for your small tank....they usually have sample packs. See....I am just not with it....the Bio Spira would work. Still though, if I was filling a small tank, I'd steal main tank water and save the money for fish. jmo.
Good luck and keep us posted.