Dangerous nitrate/nitrite level

Question
I have a 10 gallon tank since december '06 with 1 betta, 2 balloon mollies, 3 head&tail light tetras, 2 glo-light tetra's and 2 bamboo shrimp. The first 2 weeks all the levels were fine. Then the tank started to read high nitrite levels and I cleaned 50% of the water. The 2 glo-light tetra's started to die and the experts at petco told me to change the water again, because a dead fish can mean that the levels were out of wack. The nitrite was still extremely high and then my bamboo shrimp died. I bought a few new fish, but they all died within 3 weeks. I've cleaned the tank completely and thought that maybe I could just start over and bought amquel+, bullseye 7.0, cycle and stress coat, but nothing helps. The people at petco said at first that I cleaned the tank too much and didn't let the cycle go through so I should stop cleaning it for 6 weeks, but I haven't cleaned one drop of water since 2 weeks and still my nitrates/nitrites are in the dangerous level. All I have left now in the tank are the betta, 2 mollies, 3 tetra's, 1 red claw crab and 3 fiddle crabs (they told me they would help clean up the tank). Is there anything else I should be doing or is there anything better to buy against the nitrates/nitrites?

Thank you,
Valerie


Answer
Valerie

At my shop I start new folks out with Zebra Danios only, they are 2 for a Dollar and hearty. I tell them to expect about a 30% loss rate over the first 6 weeks. No water changes over that time. In 6 weeks I test their water to see if the cycle is complete, then sell them the fish they really want, after the tank is cycled.

I suggest you go to an independent fish store and ask to buy a few handfuls of their gravel, from one of their tanks. Put this in your tank ( transport wet, just like a fish ) and wait a week.

After 1 week start 20% water changes every other week. After 4 weeks get your tank water tested again. Ammonia and Nitrite should be zero and you continue the bi-weekly water changes to control Nitrates.

You should not have to buy anything other than the used gravel. By the way if you have a friend with an established tank, a few handfuls of their gravel will work as well.

Jerry