real high nitrites

Joe parrish · Mar 4, 2016

So a friends tank has some real high nitrites I am really at a loss for what to say to do its like it did not finish the cycle or something I don't know. He said he saw ammonia spike and go back down.

The tank has been going for 3 months or so he just started adding fish 3 weeks or so ago

Nitrites at least 5ppm that's as far as my kit reads double checked with 2 different kits
Nitrates @ 10ppm

every thing else looks ok
1.024 sal
o ppm ammonia
8.4 ph
400 ppm calcium
10dkh 179ppm kh
.25 phosphate

Joe parrish · Mar 4, 2016

ok update after talking to him more this morning I think he got a little bad advice at the local fish store. Now I think he has started a cycle again.

this is when the problems started
1 they told him to wash out his biological filters
2 they told him to add bacteria filter starter

Randy Holmes-Farley · Mar 4, 2016

OK, let us know if it doesn't decline.

FWIW, nitrite is not that much of a concern in marine systems (unlike fresh water where it is far more toxic).

AcroNem · Mar 4, 2016

Oh I read that all wrong for a second, I thought you said nitrates were at 5ppm and really high I was confused. Yeah I think it's going through a mini cycle again, it should come down relatively soon. Unless he's relying solely on a biofilter instead of live rock/sand I wouldn't think that would be a problem, but if he has minimal rock and rinsed a big (established) ceramic block that might cause problems. In the case of re seeding biomedia I'm actually a fan of the "bacteria in a bottle" most of them will be harmless when used. Keep us posted on when it starts to decline.