legionofdoon
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Has anyone else have an increase in nitrites when carbon dosing? I'm using biopellets and getting nitrites.
Nitrites and biopellets
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Yes - it is theoretical possible. The reason is that it is two different types of bacteria - one that NOT use organic carbon (the bacteria responsible for the nitrite -> nitrate transmission) as an carbon source (scientific name chemoautotrophs) and on the use organic carbon as a carbon source (manny, many others - (the scientific name is heterotrophs). if heterotrophs have unlimited storage of organic carbon (as the surface of the biopellets) they will take over all free space because it multiply around 25 - 100 times faster than the autotrophs. Hence - no autotrophs on the biopellets surface! However - there is a lot of other surfaces around in the aquarium there the source of organic carbon are limited (normally) - it will normally be the surface fort the NOB (Nitrite Oxidation Bacteria - chemoautotrophs in this case). But if you overload with biopellets (or have to high rate of tumbling) some of the organic carbon bond in the biopellets will be released as DOC (Dissolved Organic Carbon) and accessible for heterotrophs on other surfaces than the biopellets, hence concur out the NOB from available space.
To make it more complicated - if the flow through the biopellets get too low and anaerobic (oxygenfree) environment will be formed - some of the heterotrophs will change from using oxygen in the metabolic process into using nitrate for the same reason. On of the stage in this denitrification is forming of nitrite and if the process not is fully out - nitrite will come out in the water
My advice can be seen to be total idiotic - but if you have to high flow (and to high tumbling rate) - lower the flow (or amount of biopellets) - and if you have the opposite - too low - rise the flow (but lower the amount of biopellets in this case too)
There is a Swedish word - "Lagom" - it is usable in this case.
Sincerely Lasse
To make it more complicated - if the flow through the biopellets get too low and anaerobic (oxygenfree) environment will be formed - some of the heterotrophs will change from using oxygen in the metabolic process into using nitrate for the same reason. On of the stage in this denitrification is forming of nitrite and if the process not is fully out - nitrite will come out in the water
My advice can be seen to be total idiotic - but if you have to high flow (and to high tumbling rate) - lower the flow (or amount of biopellets) - and if you have the opposite - too low - rise the flow (but lower the amount of biopellets in this case too)
There is a Swedish word - "Lagom" - it is usable in this case.
Sincerely Lasse
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Randy Holmes-Farley
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I've not seen it reported, but few people bother measuring nitrite.
As noted, it is possible, but not likely any concern. I personally wouldn't bother measuring it.
As noted, it is possible, but not likely any concern. I personally wouldn't bother measuring it.
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legionofdoon
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The only reason I checked was that my nitrates went up after starting biopellets and I know that nitrites can effect the results so I used a dipstick to check for nitrites so I Don't know the actual nitrites level.
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Yep. If you get a strange nitrate reading, check your nitrites ain’t messing with the test. However, if your not doing nitrite tests regularly, how do you know if the nitrites are not regularly high and not giving the strange nitrate fluctuation?
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