Nitrite constantly too high

[cdnco2004]

I have a 75g that I started a couple of months ago. Started tank with Carbsea Ocean Direct Live Sand as well with one of the bacteria in a bottle. Cycled the tank for two weeks with a couple of Mollies also in the tank. Everything was going good after the tests showed my Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate good. Around the 1 month mark I added a Racoon Butterfly, Coral Beauty Angelfish, Clown fish, and a school of Athinas. After 2 weeks I started to notice some skin issues on a couple of the Athinas. I have Hanna testers for everything but Ammonia and Nitrite. I still just had API for those two. I tested my water and the Ammonia showed between 0-0.25ppm but for Nitrite it was at like 5PPM. According to my Hanna my Nitrate was at 10ppm. I started to do 25% water changes every other day for a week. During that time 2 of my Athina's died. So I decided to pull all the fish except the Mollies and put them in one of my 40g QT tanks. I spent two weeks doing water changes of 15-20g WC every other day. After the 2 weeks the numbers all stabilized at zero. During that time the fish that had nitrite burns scales healed. I moved the fish back into the tank and after about a week I started to notice the irritation on skin returning and I checked my numbers and I was back up over 1ppm Nitrite. Ammonia was 0.25 Nitrate around 10. For the last 2 weeks now I have been doing daily 15g water changes and nothing I can do will keep the Nitrite numbers bellow 0.5ppm. When I moved all the fish before I moved all my rocks looked for any dead fish or anything but could not find any. So I can't figure out what could possibly be causing my Nitrite numbers being so out of control. Any one have any ideas or advice on things to try? I added 1liter of Seachem Matrix to the sump to help give more places for bacteria to live added Purigen as well. Already had GFO running from day one on the tank so its levels never went up. I have less fish in this 75g that has the issues than my other 75s or even my 2 40g's. I am not over feeding. I just can't think what could be wrong.

 

[Lavey29]

Nitrite is irrelevant and harmless to salt water fish. Sounds like you over loaded the tank to fast with to many fish and they got ammonia burns.

 

[lopez052308]

How long did you cycle the tank? You probably increased the bio load like crazy and had a spike. Patient is the key. You have to stock slowly.

 

[cdnco2004]

Nitrite is irrelevant and harmless to salt water fish. Sounds like you over loaded the tank to fast with to many fish and they got ammonia burns.

You are incorrect nitrite can still be toxic for saltwater fish.

 

[cdnco2004]

How long did you cycle the tank? You probably increased the bio load like crazy and had a spike. Patient is the key. You have to stock slowly.

If you have to ask you did not read what I said. And the bio load is not loaded up all crazy.

 

[cdnco2004]

As far as filtration goes I have a skimmer rated for 150g heavy bio load, lots of LR, biomedia cubes plus purigen and matrix in sump, gfo in media reactor, use reef diapers for mechanical filtration gets changed out each 3 days and they are not near as dirty as my other 75g or even my 2 40s. SO even if my bioload was all crazy I have more then enough filtration to offset it, but again its not loaded up all crazy. 4 Anthias, 1 butterfly 1 clown and 3 younger mollies. That is NOT a crazy bio load on a 75G FOWLR tank.

 

[Lavey29]

You are incorrect nitrite can still be toxic for saltwater fish.

Sorry but you are incorrect.


Its toxicity in marine systems is far lower than in freshwater systems. Nevertheless, many aquarists incorrectly extrapolate this toxicity to reef aquariums and suggest that any measurable amount of nitrite is a concern. In reality, nitrite probably is not toxic enough to warrant measuring in most marine systems.

 

[Lavey29]

As far as filtration goes I have a skimmer rated for 150g heavy bio load, lots of LR, biomedia cubes plus purigen and matrix in sump, gfo in media reactor, use reef diapers for mechanical filtration gets changed out each 3 days and they are not near as dirty as my other 75g or even my 2 40s. SO even if my bioload was all crazy I have more then enough filtration to offset it, but again its not loaded up all crazy. 4 Anthias, 1 butterfly 1 clown and 3 younger mollies. That is NOT a crazy bio load on a 75G FOWLR tank.

Sounds like you have it all figured out....good luck with that.

 

[StatelineReefer]

I have a 75g that I started a couple of months ago. Started tank with Carbsea Ocean Direct Live Sand as well with one of the bacteria in a bottle.

Cool. So far you're okay...

Cycled the tank for two weeks with a couple of Mollies also in the tank. Everything was going good after the tests showed my Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate good.

Fish in the tank for cycling is unneccesary and cruel these days. With so many other options, why take the one that causes stress and harm to literally anything. Also, what are the exact measurements of 'good'...

Around the 1 month mark I added a Racoon Butterfly, Coral Beauty Angelfish, Clown fish, and a school of Athinas.

But you didn't add a large bioload.

After 2 weeks I started to notice some skin issues on a couple of the Athinas.

Could have been any number of diseases. Did you isolate and quarantine your purchases?

I have Hanna testers for everything but Ammonia and Nitrite. I still just had API for those two. I tested my water and the Ammonia showed between 0-0.25ppm but for Nitrite it was at like 5PPM.

Not immediately deadly, but interesting in context.

According to my Hanna my Nitrate was at 10ppm. I started to do 25% water changes every other day for a week. During that time 2 of my Athina's died. So I decided to pull all the fish except the Mollies and put them in one of my 40g QT tanks.

Quarantining after placing the fish in the main display?

I spent two weeks doing water changes of 15-20g WC every other day. After the 2 weeks the numbers all stabilized at zero. During that time the fish that had nitrite burns scales healed.

... nitrite burns?

I moved the fish back into the tank and after about a week I started to notice the irritation on skin returning and I checked my numbers and I was back up over 1ppm Nitrite. Ammonia was 0.25 Nitrate around 10. For the last 2 weeks now I have been doing daily 15g water changes and nothing I can do will keep the Nitrite numbers bellow 0.5ppm. When I moved all the fish before I moved all my rocks looked for any dead fish or anything but could not find any. So I can't figure out what could possibly be causing my Nitrite numbers being so out of control.

Your biologic filter is still evolving. Nitrifying bacteria establishes much quicker than denitrifying bacteria.

Any one have any ideas or advice on things to try? I added 1liter of Seachem Matrix to the sump to help give more places for bacteria to live added Purigen as well.

How about quarantine and disease control before jumping to water chemistry? What you describe sounds more like uronema.

Already had GFO running from day one on the tank so its levels never went up. I have less fish in this 75g that has the issues than my other 75s or even my 2 40g's. I am not over feeding. I just can't think what could be wrong.

GFO is for phosphate control. How many times a day do you feed your anthias?

 

[brclark82]

Nevermind

 

[cdnco2004]

None of the other systems are testing high on anything. I have not been testing my Nitrate on it daily like I have been my Ammonia and Nitrite. I replace my RODI filters monthly (need to get bigger RODI unit) none of my other tanks are having this issue. Its only this one tank. So I don't think its my water. But I am about to do a ICP on this tank and the ones I get include RODI testing.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

Cool. So far you're okay...

Fish in the tank for cycling is unneccesary and cruel these days. With so many other options, why take the one that causes stress and harm to literally anything. Also, what are the exact measurements of 'good'...

But you didn't add a large bioload.

Could have been any number of diseases. Did you isolate and quarantine your purchases?

Not immediately deadly, but interesting in context.

Quarantining after placing the fish in the main display?

... nitrite burns?

Your biologic filter is still evolving. Nitrifying bacteria establishes much quicker than denitrifying bacteria.

How about quarantine and disease control before jumping to water chemistry? What you describe sounds more like uronema.

GFO is for phosphate control. How many times a day do you feed your anthias?

I like the way you broke that down, play by play

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You are incorrect nitrite can still be toxic for saltwater fish.

At 5 ppm? What is your evidence for that?

 

[lopez052308]

If you have all the answers why are you asking questions?

 

[Leadfooted]

How big is your sump and how large of cheato ball can you grow, a large ball can consume a lot of nitrate. it might help anyways.

 

[cdnco2004]

How big is your sump and how large of cheato ball can you grow, a large ball can consume a lot of nitrate. it might help anyways.

Sump is a Fiji cube 24 advanced and I have cheto in one chamber. Gfo for phosphate removal and cheto for the nitrate but it will take a while for the cheto to have much effect same with the matrix.

 

[taricha]

Fish in new-ish systems can die for many resons, but Nitrite (NO2) is not one of them.

The presence of high ongoing NO2 (~5ppm) I guess could be an indicator that something else is not quite right in the system - such as O2 too low. But it's not a very specific symptom, and doesn't really tell you anything for sure is a big problem.

 

[Jeffbear]

You are incorrect nitrite can still be toxic for saltwater fish.

At extremely high levels. Levels far beyond those likely in the ocean or aquarium. I will point you to Table 2 of this article.

https://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.php#tab2

 

[Aqua Man]

As far as filtration goes I have a skimmer rated for 150g heavy bio load, lots of LR,

How much is lots of live rock? Was actually alive or was the tank cycled with Dry rock?

FTS??!!

 

[newreef1]

At extremely high levels. Levels far beyond those likely in the ocean or aquarium. I will point you to Table 2 of this article.

https://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.php#tab2

Really informative article. I just tested my tank and was worried about nitrite showing up today when yesterday it was at 0. It’s probably due to the ammonia which I tested yesterday at .25. I’ll do a WC to reduce the ammonia. Thankfully I don’t have to worry about the nitrite. Now I know why @vetteguy53081 asked me to disregard nitrite in my QT and to focus on ammonia. I’m going to read the entire article. Thanks! Any other such articles on ammonia and stuff please share it’ll be a big help for people such as myself.