QT Nitrites stalled?

[pdiehm]

Before I get too deep here, I have read Randy's Nitrite article that shows tests where marine fish can handle up to 330ppm of Nitrites. In the end, the conclusion is that nitrites are far less toxic to marine fish than freshwater fish.

My Quarantine Tank that I'm setting up will be a permanent tank until I am fully stocked. At which time, the media will be stored in my sump until I need to use it...but since I'll be adding 2-3 fish (max) at a time, every 6-8 weeks, I want to get the tank cycled.

Having said all that, I know that nitrites of 1ppm are lethal to freshwater fish, and from what I gather, a marine fish can tolerate the nitrites fairly well, as long as ammonia is 0 ppm, which they are.

My nitrates in that tank are high, but as I have also read (I have done a lot of reading) could be a false number because of the nitrites in the tank. This tank has been cycling for 12 weeks today. After receiving some very bad information to keep dosing 2ppm ammonia every day for a week, my nitrites have never fallen below 0.5ppm, and in fact, I'll go as far as to say the 3 days they were at 0.5, was a mistest, since every other test of nitrites have been 1.0. In other words, my nitrites have never fallen to 0 in this cycle. I haven't dosed ammonia in almost 10 weeks (I looked at my log and it was 10 weeks tomorrow).

The set up is a barebottom QT (20G Long) with some powerheads, an AquaClear 70, using that media, and media from an AC20, along with a piece of pukani rock, and 2 2" PVC elbows. From a biological standpoint, I think I have sufficient coverage. I haven't done any water changes...pH is fine at 8.3, though it's hard to tell using the color chart on Red Sea test. It's definitely not below 8.

My BioCube 29 and my 120 gallon tank are both 95% fully cycled (each processes .9 ppm out of a 1ppm ammonia dose in 24 hours), and with how slowly I'll be stocking, I'm fairly comfortable that I could add livestock and be in good shape. The only thing keeping me from getting fish is the QT tank not being quite ready, but given what I have read from Randy....is the QT tank truly not ready to start the stocking?

I have 3 options available to me in my opinion:

1) I can start getting fish, and going through the QT process
2) I can wait for nitrites to hit 0
3) I can remove the media, dry it all out, and start completely new, with a single dose of 2ppm ammonia, and go from there using the pukani rock as a seeder rock.

 

[143MPCo]

Why don't you use throw away water from one of the cycled tanks you have to speed up the process on the QT tank?

I took 20gallons of wastewater from my DT to setup my QT, todate I still do that fow water changes on the QT and have had no issues with nitrite, PO4, etc.

 

[pdiehm]

Because I've always been under the impression that the water won't speed up the cycle process since the bacteria are housed in the biological media of the filter.

 

[redfishbluefish]

You never mentioned you nitrate levels. If nitrate is present, I'd throw that nitrite test kit away. As you pointed out, nitrite is not an issue with saltwater fish. There is really no reason to test for it other then to watch the cycle go from ammonia -> nitrite -> nitrate. What is extremely critical is zero ammonia and the presence of nitrate. That tells you all the other parts of the cycle are going just fine.

 

[pdiehm]

You never mentioned you nitrate levels. If nitrate is present, I'd throw that nitrite test kit away. As you pointed out, nitrite is not an issue with saltwater fish. There is really no reason to test for it other then to watch the cycle go from ammonia -> nitrite -> nitrate. What is extremely critical is zero ammonia and the presence of nitrate. That tells you all the other parts of the cycle are going just fine.

Nitrate levels are high, but as mentioned with the presence of nitrites can give an elevated number that's false.

I do know nitrates are in there.

Given all that, am I ok to get a few fish and start the quarantine process?

 

[redfishbluefish]

Given all that, am I ok to get a few fish and start the quarantine process?

Yes, with one caveat.....your nitrates aren't too high. If above, lets say 20ppm, to pick a number, I'd first do a water change to lower the nitrates, and then add the fish.

 

[pdiehm]

That's going to be very hard to determine given the nitrites in there. I estimate nitrates to be approximately 40ppm, but since it's a 20gallon long, I can easily do a large water change.

 

[brandon429]

Tank water is a significant mode for transferring nitrifiers and heteros, they are attached to floc, some are freely motile at times, its wonderful. true, lr has more, but water has plenty.

 

[brandon429]

I bet if we plated out a single drop of tank water onto 3m ready to go lift plates and incubated them for 48 hrs we'd have ten thousand or better CFU's and in that, bunches of nitrifiers by association.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I definitely wouldn't do 3.

Moving some water may help, as folks indicate, and even more so, moving some solid stuff, even sand grunge.

I'd personally do that along with going ahead with a fish or two.

 

[pdiehm]

I bet if we plated out a single drop of tank water onto 3m ready to go lift plates and incubated them for 48 hrs we'd have ten thousand or better CFU's and in that, bunches of nitrifiers by association.

Ok, I feel like I've entered an episode of Bones.

 

[brandon429]

yep they are everywhere. its not hard to get them in our eyeball fluid just before the t cells attack either

plant some bulbs in the garden get some wet soil on your fingers, rub your eye for a sec, nitrifiers in the eye lol and they are disappointed lacrimal fluid doesnt constantly read .25 even on an api kit lol

 

[pdiehm]

not in any rush here. diatoms are starting in the 120, have been growing in the biocube 29 (and seeing some specks of green).

probably will be ready for some snails and hermits in a few weeks, and allow the QT to consume those nitrites, so I can get a more accurate reading on the nitrate levels.