Help with Fish, Coral, etc.

[Philipgonzales3]

nitrite is toxic..... not as bad as ammonia but nitrite is toxic.

From what I read, at higher PH nitrite is not toxic. Nitrite is only a factor in lower PH freshwater tanks from what I've read. I've also read some saltwater folks don't test nitrite. I would still be cautious and advise to keep nitrite levels low, just sharing what I read.

 

[Instigate]

How much longer do you think everything will be back to normal, and have the cycle completed? It’s been running for a month and a half.

What test kits are you using? How was the cycle initiated?

 

[Philipgonzales3]

How much longer do you think everything will be back to normal, and have the cycle completed? It’s been running for a month and a half.

Usually when ammonia and nitrite are 0, although nitrite may or may not matter. How did you set it up 1.5 months ago. Did you add an ammonia source to start the cycle?

 

[Justin Teufel]

How do I get rid of my green hair algae and algae growing on sand bed??

 

[Musovski]

How much longer do you think everything will be back to normal, and have the cycle completed? It’s been running for a month and a half.

its can take however long it wants. mine lasted two and half months.

 

[Justin Teufel]

Usually when ammonia and nitrite are 0, although nitrite may or may not matter. How did you set it up 1.5 months ago. Did you add an ammonia source to start the cycle?

To start the ammonia source, I phantom fed the tank for about half a month. Ammonia started to appear, and so did the nitrates and nitrites after awhile. But now, the nitrates aren’t going down, and it sure has spiked. Am I supposed to phantom feed every day?

 

[Instigate]

How do I get rid of my green hair algae and algae growing on sand bed??

It's normal, I would just toothbrush it off the rocks every so often so it doesn't get crazy bad but plenty of people just let it be for the first several months. Your tank is going to go through some stages of algae and whatnot before it settles in.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

How do I get rid of my green hair algae and algae growing on sand bed??

That may be a tougher question that is above my head but I would worry about the ammonia first, as ammonia is toxic. I think removing green hair algea may be a matter of eliminating the food source by lowering nitrates through nutrient removal such as skimming, water changes, less feeding, maybe cutting back the lighting. Other advanced methods would be using an algea scrubber, some advanced version of nitrate removal, etc.

Those are mostly guesses but like I said I would focus on ammonia for now and then move onto the algea after.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

To start the ammonia source, I phantom fed the tank for about half a month. Ammonia started to appear, and so did the nitrates and nitrites after awhile. But now, the nitrates aren’t going down, and it sure has spiked. Am I supposed to phantom feed every day?

Can you post your parameters? I wouldn't phantom feed every day. It may be too much ammonia to process. Phantom feeding is impossible to measure the ammonia value. My guess is you are adding too much food at this point.

But like I said post your parameters and I'm sure someone on here can get you back on track better than I can.

 

[Musovski]

From what I read, at higher PH nitrite is not toxic. Nitrite is only a factor in lower PH freshwater tanks from what I've read. I've also read some saltwater folks don't test nitrite. I would still be cautious and advise to keep nitrite levels low, just sharing what I read.

Marine fish are less susceptible to nitrite toxicity at lower levels because chloride (19,000ppm) in saltwater outcompetes nitrite for the same uptake. Now i understand that nitrite needs to hit something like 300+ppm to be toxic in saltwater but have read that people hit 10ppm of nitrite and fish and inverts got affected.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

Marine fish are less susceptible to nitrite toxicity at lower levels because chloride (19,000ppm) in saltwater outcompetes nitrite for the same uptake. Now i understand that nitrite needs to hit something like 300+ppm to be toxic in saltwater but have read that people hit 10ppm of nitrite and fish and inverts got affected.

Yeah that's why I still test for it "just in case". I am no expert but do read a lot. I try not to take anything as a cold hard fact because I like to be open minded. If that makes any sense lol.

 

[Justin Teufel]

Can you post your parameters? I wouldn't phantom feed every day. It may be too much ammonia to process. Phantom feeding is impossible to measure the ammonia value. My guess is you are adding too much food at this point.

But like I said post your parameters and I'm sure someone on here can get you back on track better than I can.

Here are my Parameters:

Ammonia: 1 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm
Nitrite: 40 ppm

Let me know if I am missing anything

 

[Why-Me]

@Brew12 any idea here?

 

[Justin Teufel]

Marine fish are less susceptible to nitrite toxicity at lower levels because chloride (19,000ppm) in saltwater outcompetes nitrite for the same uptake. Now i understand that nitrite needs to hit something like 300+ppm to be toxic in saltwater but have read that people hit 10ppm of nitrite and fish and inverts got affected.

Here are my Parameters:

Ammonia: 1 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm
Nitrite: 40 ppm

Let me know if I am missing anything.

You seem like you know what your talking about. How can I PM you if I have some other questions? I don’t know how to PM people. I still fairly new.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

Here are my Parameters:

Ammonia: 1 ppm
Nitrate: 5 ppm
Nitrite: 40 ppm

Let me know if I am missing anything

Are you sure that your nitrite and nitrate are not swapped. I ask because my nitrite test only goes up to 5ppm. Are you using an API kit or another brand?

 

[Justin Teufel]

Are you sure that your nitrite and nitrate are not swapped. I ask because my nitrite test only goes up to 5ppm. Are you using an API kit or another brand?

Oops your correct, they should be flipped. But anyways, that’s my parameters. And yes I use API.

 

[Philipgonzales3]

Oops your correct, they should be flipped. But anyways, that’s my parameters.

OK, no worries. This is what I would do. I would do a large water change to get nitrite down below 2ppm. I have read (although this can be controversial) that nitrite higher than 2ppm can stall the cycle.

I would stop phantom feeding for now until ammonia and nitrite reach 0. After both reach 0 then you can phantom feed a little and make sure ammonia does not increase for 24 hours. If so then at this point add 1 or two fish.

 

[Justin Teufel]

Marine fish are less susceptible to nitrite toxicity at lower levels because chloride (19,000ppm) in saltwater outcompetes nitrite for the same uptake. Now i understand that nitrite needs to hit something like 300+ppm to be toxic in saltwater but have read that people hit 10ppm of nitrite and fish and inverts got affected.

What do you think of my parameters anyone?

Here are my Parameters:

Ammonia: 1 ppm
Nitrite: 5 ppm
Nitrate: 40 ppm

 

[Philipgonzales3]

Math is not my strong suit but if your nitrite is 5 ( likely it is higher) then a 50% change will only bring you to 2.5. I would do like an 8 gallon water change and then retest.

Your ammonia should drop to 0 and nitrite to 0 on it's own once you get nitrite down to 2. How long will it take? No one knows but it should come down on its own. Like I said I would stop phantom feeding to ensure ammonia is not being produced faster than the bacteria can process it. Basically the ammonia can be being smothered from what I believe (I'm not an expert on bacteria or anything) lol.

 

[Justin Teufel]

OK, no worries. This is what I would do. I would do a large water change to get nitrite down below 2ppm. I have read (although this can be controversial) that nitrite higher than 2ppm can stall the cycle.

I would stop phantom feeding for now until ammonia and nitrite reach 0. After both reach 0 then you can phantom feed a little and make sure ammonia does not increase for 24 hours. If so then at this point add 1 or two fish.

I like your thinking!