Nitrites still high

[pghreeferteam]

Cycled fishless for 16 days. No more ammonia but nitrites > 1 by Red Sea test and nitrates ~ 30.

After discussion with the LFS who helped me get everything going, stocked with 3 Bangai Cardinals and half a dozen BL hermits and nassarius snails. All livestock doing great but unable to See nitrites go down.

thiughts?

 

[ReefGeezer]

Ignore nitrates until nitrites read 0. Nitrites aren't harmful to the life you have in the tank. They'll fall off a week or two.

 

[BartMan]

I would dose a different brand of bacteria to the tank and retest in 48 hours

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Cycled fishless for 16 days. No more ammonia but nitrites > 1 by Red Sea test and nitrates ~ 30.

After discussion with the LFS who helped me get everything going, stocked with 3 Bangai Cardinals and half a dozen BL hermits and nassarius snails. All livestock doing great but unable to See nitrites go down.

thiughts?

If you really have nitrites present, they will interfere with most nitrate kits and give a false reading.

 

[pghreeferteam]

If you really have nitrites present, they will interfere with most nitrate kits and give a false reading.

Oh. I had no idea about the nitrites interfering with testing. Using the Red Sea beginning kit

 

[pghreeferteam]

I would dose a different brand of bacteria to the tank and retest in 48 hours

I have dosed two different types so far. I would have to order so may have to wait, but thank you

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Oh. I had no idea about the nitrites interfering with testing. Using the Red Sea beginning kit

If I am not mistaken, the RS nitrate kit is one the nitrites will interfere with.

My suggestion is to wait it out and see if nitrites drop, or to get some bottled bac to help boost the bacteria population.

Neither of the numbers you posted for nitrite or nitrate are harmful to fish, so no need to rush at this point.

 

[pghreeferteam]

If I am not mistaken, the RS nitrate kit is one the nitrites will interfere with.

My suggestion is to wait it out and see if nitrites drop, or to get some bottled bac to help boost the bacteria population.

Neither of the numbers you posted for nitrite or nitrate are harmful to fish, so no need to rush at this point.

Thank you

 

[pghreeferteam]

Ignore nitrates until nitrites read 0. Nitrites aren't harmful to the life you have in the tank. They'll fall off a week or two.

Thank you