Dr. Tims one and only cycle. High nitrites

[Alfredomeinhardt]

The same thing happened to me as well recently using Dr. Tim's. It took about 3-4 weeks for my nitrites to drop down to 0.

Did you put any fish while your nitrites were high??

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Did you put any fish while your nitrites were high??

Don't be afraid of nitrite. That concern is a carry over from freshwater, but nitrite at levels encountered here are not any concern to marine fish.

This article has a lot more discussion:

Nitrite and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

"None of the thirteen marine fish species for which I could find nitrite toxicity data had LC50 values below 100 ppm, and half had LC50 values of 1,000 - 3,000 ppm or more."

 

[slowwrx137]

Did you put any fish while your nitrites were high??

I didn't, however, I started my tank up after I've been out of the hobby for 10ish years so I just did it the way I did in the past and waited until Nitrites got to 0.

I wouldn't hesitate to trust @Randy Holmes-Farley though as his name is familiar from when I was in the hobby 10-15 years ago back on the reefcentral forum.

 

[Bucs20fan]

You are safe to add fish, Nitrites are not toxic in levels we will ever see in marine aquariums and nitrates have to be well over 150-200ppm to start to affect fish. Nitrates affect inverts and corals way before they will ever affect fish. Do a 50% water change and add a fish or two. Happy reefing!

 

[drolmaeye]

Did you put any fish while your nitrites were high??

In my earlier post in this thread I mentioned my experience with a tank similar to yours, but at the same time I have been cycling a bare-bottom, no-rock quarantine tank. That tank has had zero ammonia for about two weeks but is still hanging on to nitrite (~ 1 ppm) going on about day 33. Two days ago I added a very small maroon clown to that tank and the fish seems to be doing very well, happily eating and looking pretty good to my inexperienced eye.

Moreover, I would feel comfortable following the guidance/advice of Randy Holmes-Farley and others in this thread, based on their professional and hobbying expertise. Sounds like it's time for a fish (or two?)

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

Update: Nitrites are still around 2-3 ppm. No ammonia.
I added three fish yesterday and they seem to be ok. PH, according to the Hanna Checker is above 8.6, bu I have a Controler that says 8.4 so I don’t know what to believe. I trust Hanna. I don’t know if the high PH has anything to do with the high nitrites.
salinity is good.

Haven’t measured Nitrates yet. I will wait until nitrites go down.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Update: Nitrites are still around 2-3 ppm. No ammonia.
I added three fish yesterday and they seem to be ok. PH, according to the Hanna Checker is above 8.6, bu I have a Controler that says 8.4 so I don’t know what to believe. I trust Hanna. I don’t know if the high PH has anything to do with the high nitrites.
salinity is good.

Haven’t measured Nitrates yet. I will wait until nitrites go down.

It is very unlikely the pH is 8.6 unless you are adding a lot of very high pH additives.

 

[salty150]

According to Dr. Tim himself:

Keep both ammonia and nitrite below 5mg/L-nitrogen

If above 5 mg/L – do water change – DO NOT DISTURB SUBSTRATE OR FILTER PADS – as that is where the bacteria are.

Not sure how 5mg/L-nitrogen translates... to a test kit/Hanna Checker...

He also says:

Don’t dose more than 4PPM of ammonia

It’s better to add a little bit more times over the day…. then all at once

You don’t have to add ammonia every day…

Did you follow the directions and the chart on his website...?

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

According to Dr. Tim himself:

Keep both ammonia and nitrite below 5mg/L-nitrogen

If above 5 mg/L – do water change – DO NOT DISTURB SUBSTRATE OR FILTER PADS – as that is where the bacteria are.

Not sure how 5mg/L-nitrogen translates... to a test kit/Hanna Checker...

He also says:

Don’t dose more than 4PPM of ammonia

It’s better to add a little bit more times over the day…. then all at once

You don’t have to add ammonia every day…

Did you follow the directions and the chart on his website...?

Yes I did

 

[Alfredomeinhardt]

It is very unlikely the pH is 8.6 unless you are adding a lot of very high pH additives.

I am not. I haven’t dosed anything to the tank. I have the filter canisters with carbon and biomass and that’s it.
muy seams weird to me too

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I am not. I haven’t dosed anything to the tank. I have the filter canisters with carbon and biomass and that’s it.
muy seams weird to me too

I expect it is not accurate. Aeration will lower it if it is that high.

 

[Northern Flicker]

Don't be afraid of nitrite. That concern is a carry over from freshwater, but nitrite at levels encountered here are not any concern to marine fish.

This article has a lot more discussion:

Nitrite and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

"None of the thirteen marine fish species for which I could find nitrite toxicity data had LC50 values below 100 ppm, and half had LC50 values of 1,000 - 3,000 ppm or more."

Wow, this is why it's important for us all to make the effort to continue learning. I had it in my head that Nitrites were almost as toxic as Ammonia is. Thanks Randy.