Nitrites wont come down

[kay2443]

Week 5 or 6 of cycling a 10 gal. My ammonia is 0 now since I did a 20 percent water change on week 4 my nitrites are at 1ppm and won't go down my nitrates are ranging from 0-20 ppm.
Maybe I need a new test kit but I went to have the water tested and I had high nitrites and decent nitrates... I have a small bottle Dr Tim's but was skeptical about using it. help please !!

 

[brandon429]

nitrites no longer factor in display tank reefing, or reef cycling. I recommend never owning the kit at all and never testing for them in any display reef tank, because it always leads to doubt + a purchase of something we don't need.

the thing to concern over for a cycling reef tank is disease preps. when old cycling science/macna speakers from the podium/told thousands of reefers that nitrite can stall a cycle, when it does not, we had no way to verify that information


so glad the reef chemistry forum here isn't trying to sell things

nitrite has no basis for need to measure in a display tank reef from day 1 to the last day the reef holds water. we just eased all your concern

your cycle was done a long time ago

 

[brandon429]

where nitrites matter, per the chemistry forum here

-freshwater setups

-low salinity hypo setups used for reefs, but not display reefs


an interesting side note about nitrite testing, when it is required: API constitutes about 99.999% of all nitrite measures for aquariums.


anyone here knows how reliable API is for ammonia, nitrate, all the normal preps. but since API has the market cornered on nitrite measurement, we automatically shift from doubt into 100% belief that api is right.

your own test could be a misread, and nitrite may be in control lol though we don't care to verify that.


hanna nitrite might be a neat way to truly measure it, in systems that require that measure.

 

[Lavey29]

Tank is fine. Cycle completed.

 

[kay2443]

nitrites no longer factor in display tank reefing, or reef cycling. I recommend never owning the kit at all and never testing for them in any display reef tank, because it always leads to doubt + a purchase of something we don't need.

the thing to concern over for a cycling reef tank is disease preps. when old cycling science/macna speakers from the podium/told thousands of reefers that nitrite can stall a cycle, when it does not, we had no way to verify that information


so glad the reef chemistry forum here isn't trying to sell things

nitrite has no basis for need to measure in a display tank reef from day 1 to the last day the reef holds water. we just eased all your concern

your cycle was done a long time ago

So your telling Mr I can put a fish in there and ir won't die?

 

[kay2443]

Tank is fine. Cycle completed.

So I can put a fish in there and it won't die?

 

[kay2443]

nitrites no longer factor in display tank reefing, or reef cycling. I recommend never owning the kit at all and never testing for them in any display reef tank, because it always leads to doubt + a purchase of something we don't need.

the thing to concern over for a cycling reef tank is disease preps. when old cycling science/macna speakers from the podium/told thousands of reefers that nitrite can stall a cycle, when it does not, we had no way to verify that information


so glad the reef chemistry forum here isn't trying to sell things

nitrite has no basis for need to measure in a display tank reef from day 1 to the last day the reef holds water. we just eased all your concern

your cycle was done a long time ago

So ican put livestock in there and they won't die?

 

[mdb_talon]

So I can put a fish in there and it won't die?

Well I can assure you if it dies it will have nothing at all to do with the nitrites

 

[brandon429]

Agreed fully

If it dies it'll be from skipping all disease preps, or bag float acclimation, but not due to nitrite

Is this your first reef/ saltwater setup or you've had them before?

Let's see a pic of the tank real quick if possible/ assesses surface area By that pic. We already have your reported ammonia drop, that was key in the matter.

 

[Mark Goode]

So your telling Mr I can put a fish in there and ir won't die?

No, he's saying your tank is cycled. There are still plenty of ways to kill fish.

 

[Troylee]

So your telling Mr I can put a fish in there and ir won't die?

Depending how you cycled it and if you have live rock… if you have live rock you should be good to go.. don’t get crazy stocking fast as the bio load will adjust itself.

 

[kay2443]

Depending how you cycled it and if you have live rock… if you have live rock you should be good to go.. don’t get crazy stocking fast as the bio load will adjust itself.

I have dry rock

 

[brandon429]

Kay

Post a pic of your tank

Is this your first sw fish or you've had them before

 

[Troylee]

I have dry rock

Did you dose ammonia or feed the tank to cycle it? If yes I’d say you’re good to go with fish.. couple small clowns etc.. corals I would start slow with easy ones first.

 

[kay2443]

Agreed fully

If it dies it'll be from skipping all disease preps, or bag float acclimation, but not due to nitrite

Is this your first reef/ saltwater setup or you've had them before?

Let's see a pic of the tank real quick if possible/ assesses surface area By that pic. We already have your reported ammonia drop, that was key in the matter.

I've had them before which is why I'm so confused

 

[kay2443]

Did you dose ammonia or feed the tank to cycle it? If yes I’d say you’re good to go with fish.. couple small clowns etc.. corals I would start slow with easy ones first.

Fed it food for a few days

 

[brandon429]

Very nice, that'll work

Understandable confusion! Last time you waited until nitrites were zero, no harm in doing that


What we're realizing now is that nitrites never were a factor, only ammonia control, and that disease preps is the vastly top killer of today's reef fish. Never the cycle...

 

[kay2443]

Kay

Post a pic of your tank

Is this your first sw fish or you've had them before

I've had them before just not quite this small

 

[brandon429]

You are approaching two months wet, that's cycled. It's not possible to be uncycled at month two even if you tested nothing. That ghost feed method works in about 15 days total

That's plenty of surface area to carry any bioload in nano reefing, all set
Cycle done.

 

[kay2443]

Very nice, that'll work

Understandable confusion! Last time you waited until nitrites were zero, no harm in doing that


What we're realizing now is that nitrites never were a factor, only ammonia control, and that disease preps is the vastly top killer of today's reef fish. Never the cycle...

Never heard of "disease prep"