Biological Filter

[Dan1788]

I have just done a a nitrite test and test has come back with traces.
I have just recently (2 weeks) just put a pair of clowns in as I have been running the tank fallow to rid Ich.
Could this just be because some of the natural bac has died off because its been fish less and it will take a bit to build it back to scratch with the fish waste?
Is there a way of testing for benifical bac?

Any suggestions?

Thanks

 

[Jekyl]

I have just done a a nitrite test and test has come back with traces.
I have just recently (2 weeks) just put a pair of clowns in as I have been running the tank fallow to rid Ich.
Could this just be because some of the natural bac has died off because its been fish less and it will take a bit to build it back to scratch with the fish waste?
Is there a way of testing for benifical bac?

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Throw away the nitrite test

 

[Dan1788]

? It's in date.
It's a Red Sea FTR

Thanks

 

[Jekyl]

? It's in date.
It's a Red Sea FTR

Thanks

I'm saying you don't need it anymore. I used mine during the cycle and haven't since

 

[Jedi1199]

He means throw it away because it is inherently useless... Do you have Nitrates? then you have nitrites... Once you have an established Nitrate in your tank, nitrite is meaningless.

 

[Dan1788]

OK thanks

 

[Azedenkae]

I have just done a a nitrite test and test has come back with traces.
I have just recently (2 weeks) just put a pair of clowns in as I have been running the tank fallow to rid Ich.
Could this just be because some of the natural bac has died off because its been fish less and it will take a bit to build it back to scratch with the fish waste?
Is there a way of testing for benifical bac?

Any suggestions?

Thanks

Others have already talked about not needing to test nitrite etc. because it's non-lethal unless at super high concentrations, etc., but to answer your question though, no the nitrifiers won't just die off if not fed, they can easily survive for months before starting to go dormant or die off (research is still not 100% sure what the exact mechanisms are). Either way, not a worry about nitrifiers dying off.

If the tank is devoid of fish, you can test the nitrification capacity just like you would test the end of a cycle, by dosing ammonia. But that's not really feasible with fish - or more accurately, not needed. Because you've had the clownfish for two weeks now, and if there were issues with nitrification, then you'd see a lot more nitrite than 'traces'.

So yeah, all in all nothing to worry about. ^_^

 

[Dan1788]

Thanks for that

 

[Spare time]

I wouldn't be worried about nitrite unless you hit 25ppm.

However, the bacteria that produces nitrate is more sensitive than that which produces ammonia, so they can be used an as indicator if something is disrupting your biological filter.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Is there a way of testing for benifical bac?

If you are really curious about your tank's biome, AquaBiomics offers testing. Not sure if the results would answer your questions but the option does exist.