A quick nitrite question

[mark429]

Ok so my tank has been up and running for 2 months now and I have been fighting to get my nitrites down, for the last 5 days I have been doing a 9 galon water change, the tank is a 37 gallon by the way. So I guess I am just wondering has anybody ever bought a nitrite test kits that just didn't work? I have a red sea test kit and the color won't budge off .01 which is a light blue. My other pars are
Ph= 8.0
Alk is normal
Nitrate high side is 25
Ammonia = .009
Temp= 78
Salinity = 1.022

 

[PTucker]

Need more info... What's your bioload? How often are you feeding the tank? Also list your equipment. Here to help, Tucker.


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[KSC]

Nitrites aren't important to saltwater tanks, most don't bother testing for it. I would watch your ammonia levels as you should be reading 0 after 2 months. The water changes will help lower your nitrates, keep up with them.

 

[mark429]

I have two osolaris clowns med size and 3 blue green chromis med to small, I,m running a 20 gallons sump refug mix with a aquac skimmer

 

[mark429]

O and a full cleanup crew and my nitrate levels have been dropping steadily but were never about 50 on the high side

 

[frank180reef]

yes ammonia should be zero, is it possible u are feeding on the heavy side, what and how often do u feed?

 

[mark429]

I feed once a day a pinch of formula one flakes

 

[frank180reef]

maybe retest, it is possible you havent fully cycled?

do u by chance have the ability to test NITRITES?

 

[mark429]

Yeah that's my problem my nitrites won't go below .01, when I set up my tank I used cycled rock and live sand that had been in another reefers tank that had been running for awhile

 

[frank180reef]

hmm well you likely disturbed the sand bed when u moved it and are still cycling
(pretty unavoidable)
(sorry I didnt see the nitrite reading)

 

[mark429]

Thats ok, so should I just keep up the water changes? Is that all I can do

 

[KSC]

Here's a good article about water parameters. Ammonia is very toxic to marine life and should be at 0. There are products available if your ammonia levels are too high for the livestock.



http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.php

 

[mark429]

So my ammonia is good and my nitrates are getting better but my nitrites won't go down

 

[Pat02026]

Out of curiosity did you ever see the nitrite level come up during initial cycle? Just wondering if your test kit is accurate or functioning properly. When I cycled my last tank nitrite went up to about 1.0ppm for a mere 3-4 days and plummeted to 0 in 1 day which is typical from what I have seen personally in cycling tanks (though I was rather surprised how short the duration was on this last tank usually lasts a few more days) Nitrite is usually faster to come up and drop off than ammonia.

 

[mark429]

No pat it hasnt moved
that's why I am questioning this my nitrites have never moved from .01 ppm, I was reading the high side of my nitrates by the way I was supposes to be reading the low and my low is 5 pm

 

[PTucker]

If the ammonia level drops and the nitrate level is "getting better"or coming down... Then It is not possible for nitrite level to be unchanged as it is the bridge between the other levels. How old is your nitrite test kit? Sounds like it is not accurate.


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[mark429]

I bought it as a multi kit so they have all been open the same amount of time, I would say I bought the kit 2.5 months ago

 

[Pat02026]

If your livestock appears healthy with no signs of stress, and more importantly you have 0 ammonia reading I wouldn't dwell too much over it; If there's any question to the health of your livestock I would be inclined to back up that test with a known accurate nitrite test kit. For the cost of a new kit you would have already made up the difference in making 9 gal water changes every day unnecessarily (if there's not really an issue that is) or swing by a LFS to have them test for you.

 

[mark429]

I was thinking of doing that ( going to my LFS that is ) and yes my live stock seem to be doing great I just didn't want to take any chances adding anything new ya know. Thanks for everybodys help

 

[mark429]

Well the good news is that my nitrite kit is junk and that my water levels are all good and no more two a day water changes