Rise in Nitrite

[125gSW]

For some reason my Nitrite rose up a bit from 0, not sure why but would the remedy be adding live bacteria? Tank is about 7months old

 

[Jason mack]

If it’s rizen up from zero and it’s still low it shouldnt be a problem too much...so what is a bit ??

 

[125gSW]

If it’s rizen up from zero and it’s still under 10 I wouldn’t worry about it .. you need some nitrate too feed your corals .. so how much is a bit ??

0.25, but there are no corals currently

I was told it's poisonous and can kill the fish at these levels

 

[milkman754]

0.25, but there are no corals currently

I was told it's poisonous and can kill the fish at these levels

Do you have a refugium?

 

[125gSW]

Do you have a refugium?

Well not exactly, but it is in tank "pod hotel" which has couple live rock, chaeto, and pods which i dose with phyto plankton

 

[Jason mack]

Nitrite is not as harmful in a reef as it is in freshwater .. how old is your tank 7 months .. hmmm have you had any die off of any sort ..?

 

[125gSW]

Nitrite is not as harmful in a reef as it is in freshwater .. how old is your tank 7 months .. hmmm have you had any die off of any sort ..?

I have coralline algae growth right now, diatoms are basically gone, water looks super clean. Only issue i had was a new fish just recently died and the fish store is blaming the nitrite.

 

[Jason mack]

I have coralline algae growth right now, diatoms are basically gone, water looks super clean. Only issue i had was a new fish just recently died and the fish store is blaming the nitrite.

At 0.25 it won’t kill your fish .. unless it was already sick ..I’ve had mine higher than that and never lost anything.. what test kit are you using ? It could have just been a false reading ..

 

[elisa h]

Nitrite isn’t toxic in saltwater. Only very high levels will kill fish. Randy holms-farley (I think that’s his name) did a study on it. Have you checked for ammonia?

 

[125gSW]

At 0.25 it won’t kill your fish .. unless it was already sick ..I’ve had mine higher than that and never lost anything.. what test kit are you using ? It could have just been a false reading ..

Nitrite isn’t toxic in saltwater. Only very high levels will kill fish. Randy holms-farley (I think that’s his name) did a study on it. Have you checked for ammonia?

API test kit
Ammonia 0
Nitrate at 40ppm but was told that wont be harmful unless corals involved

so I shouldnt worry too much? just a sick fish?

 

[Jason mack]

In my opinion api is not a very reliable test kits , I would advise using red Sea or saliferts .. and We would need for information over your fish .. what was it .. was it qt’d ..did is show any signs of itching scratching rocks , was it swimming into powerhead .. or avoiding the light .. did it have any markings or spots or anything ?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Probably a test error, but real or not, I'd ignore it.