I’m currently about day 20 into a fish less cycle. This is after I had to start all over due to the crazy texas power outages. I was able to keep my chromis alive in a frag tank for now as I try and cycle his normal tank. I used Dr Tim’s. I’ve gone through the ammonia spike. Now it’s reading zero. But I’m stuck on the nitrite phase. Just doesn’t seem to want to go down. I’m leaving on vacation in a few days and would like to put him back in his tank before I go. 1st off. How harmful are high levels of nitrite to fish? Would I be able to lower the levels of nitrite in the tank via a water change, then put him in to finish the cycle? Or you think it’s just best to keep him in the frag tank and wait it out. It’s been difficult keeping his small tank within reasonable numbers and I’m anxious to get him back in his big tank. Especially when I’m gone and relying on someone else to take care of the tank.
Mid cycling, adding a fish
- Thread starter Theaviator
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Miami Reef
10K Club Member
Nitrites are just as dangerous as ammonia.
There is an alternative. If you get Prime by Seachem, it will neutralize all the toxic ammonia and nitrites for 48 hours. It’s concentrated and one capful treats 50 gallons.
Prime will not affect your cycle. The bio filter will still be able to carry out the nitrification process. You will need to keep dosing every 48 hours until you don’t read any ammonia nor nitrites because they will return to their toxic state after the 48 hour time period.
There is an alternative. If you get Prime by Seachem, it will neutralize all the toxic ammonia and nitrites for 48 hours. It’s concentrated and one capful treats 50 gallons.
Prime will not affect your cycle. The bio filter will still be able to carry out the nitrification process. You will need to keep dosing every 48 hours until you don’t read any ammonia nor nitrites because they will return to their toxic state after the 48 hour time period.
FishyFishFish
Valuable Member
Recent discussion on this forum suggests that is not true.
EDIT: in the levels that are likely to be seen in our aquariums.
What are your nitrite levels? I would conduct a big water change and I then suspect your nitrites will go down relatively quickly.
Azedenkae
Valuable Member
@FishyFishFish is correct, nitrite even when it gets relatively high is non-toxic to marine fish, at least in the short term.
Azedenkae
Valuable Member
No. That is absolutely not what we (except Miami Reef) are saying. It should NOT be toxic.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.php
Here, I linked the relevant article again. Please have a read of this.
