high nitrites in a tank with livestock

[reefgall]

High nitrites is a biological filter issue. I'd advice against waterchanges which may prolong your biological filter to stabilize and reduce your nutrient export (skimming or carbon) for 1 week. Best thing would be to add some nitrifying bacteria (microbacter, dr tims, instant ocean brand, etc).

What test kit are you using? High nitrites should drop and leave you with just nitrates

should I switch to a canister?

 

[vetteguy53081]

I figured API why I suggested second opinion with a water test to compare.API often has inaccurate results
Do add turbo start. Will assist with reduction of po, Nitrate management

 

[Katrina71]

You can also do a little macro algae in your display to help export.

 

[Ashish Patel]

API is fine for testing Nitrites.. It can take 4 week + naturally for nitrites to reduce and convert to nitrates. With nitrifying bacteria if done correctly you can get this number down to 0 in 1-2 week or less. Give it time and test you water and don't try to rush the processes nitrites will drop your maybe just going through a mini cycle or something.

 

[Ashish Patel]

API is fine for testing Nitrites.. It can take 4 week + naturally for nitrites to reduce and convert to nitrates. With nitrifying bacteria if done correctly you can get this number down to 0 in 1-2 week or less. Give it time and test you water and don't try to rush the processes nitrites will drop your maybe just going through a mini cycle or something.

 

[O'l Salty]

should I switch to a canister?

HOB filters work great for saltwater aquariums. I ran a 40b with all kinds of corals and the tank did great. I wouldn't start running GFO or anything like that right now. Let the tank stabilize and reach a natural balance. As long as ammonia is zero you have nothing to worry about.

 

[Jay Norris]

HOB filters work great for saltwater aquariums. I ran a 40b with all kinds of corals and the tank did great. I wouldn't start running GFO or anything like that right now. Let the tank stabilize and reach a natural balance. As long as ammonia is zero you have nothing to worry about.

Hi, and Happy New Year, why do you recommend not running GFO now, just curious.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Hi, and Happy New Year, why do you recommend not running GFO now, just curious.

GFO is a strong oxide material and best used in an established system and sparingly. Ive seen this material strip corals of tissue

 

[jisc]

Agreed. Ruined my reef using phosguard and purigen. Stripped the water and had huge Dino outbreak. Lost almost all coral. Even used below the recommended level

 

[O'l Salty]

I would echo the previous two responses. Nitrate and phosphate are not the bogeymen many people think they are. Corals need nitrate and phosphate to survive. Chasing numbers is one of the biggest mistakes reefers make. I've been guilty of doing that. The most important thing is stability. If you have high phosphate and high nitrates but your tank looks good then why change it? My phosphates run around .1 and nitrates around 3 or 4. There is virtually no algae in my tank.

 

[vetteguy53081]

As I often state:

Rather than chasing numbers and Not taking the time to enjoy your tank, Let the corals and fish speak to you. If you look not so cheery one given day, then check the water or do a water change .

 

[laverda]

its life rock by Carib sea, don't think that needs to be cured

Unless it was shipped in water it will need to be cured. My guess is the ammonia and smell are coming from the die off in the live rock. Live rock is typically in boxes for a fair amount of time before you receive it. Anywhere from 2 days to a month or longer.

 

[Lasse]

Your high nitrates is due to your nitrite problems. Nitrate test show wrong reading if you have nitrite in the water. The reading can be up to 109 times to high. 1 ppm nitrite can give 100 ppm in nitrate.

Sincerely Lasse