Wits end with Nitrate and Nitrite 6/16/08
I am at my wits end with what is going on with my nitrite and nitrate levels…
<We all have these times/phases.>
I have a 54 gal corner marine fish only aquarium. I have a Megaflow 1 sump which uses the pre-filter media then lava rock instead of bio balls.
<Not my first choice.>
I also have a protein skimmer and a UV sterilizer. The protein skimmer is doing a good job of removing tan/yellowish color liquid.
<Good.>
My ammonia levels are staying at zero, but I cannot figure out why my nitrites/nitrates are not leveling out. It has been a good 2-3 months now since I have set up this tank. I have done a few series of 10 gal water changes…. Have tried a dose of TLC (live bacteria).
<Little to no benefit, much better off seeding with live rock.>
My salt is at 1.024; pH 8.4; ammonia 0; nitrite .50; and nitrate 10.
Any advice would be appreciated….
<A few things here. First, after a few months you should obviously see no nitrite. The fact that you are indicates either insufficient filtration or high nitrite the water you are using, assuming your tank is stocked appropriately both for its size and age. Regarding the filtration, lava rock is not a great choice. It can leach contaminants into the system. Live rock or a man made biomedia are far superior choices, in that order. The nitrate will not go down on through traditional biofiltration. You will need a DSB or macroalgae refugium if you wish to combat nitrate in ways other than water changes. A bit of tweaking and time and all will be well. Good luck, welcome, Scott V.>

Quarantine Maintenance - 6/10/08
Hi nitrites in a Quarantine tank
Hi crew,
<Hello there!>
A quick question: I have a 10 gallon saltwater quarantine tank set up with a small canister filter (mechanical filtration only), a heater and a nano hydrolia. I used it to quarantine 5 blue green chromis 4 weeks ago with no problems. It has been running empty now for two weeks, that is until I introduced 2 ocellaris clowns on the weekend. Since then nitrites have been going sky high (between .2 and close to 1). I have done several water changes which helps a little but not enough....any advice?
<Well, part of this is the two fallow weeks. During this time your nitrifying bacteria have diminished. Many quarantines are run with little biological filtration, relying on frequent cleaning of mechanical filters and water changes to maintain water quality. I would advise water changes to maintain low nitrite levels until you biological filter stabilizes.>
Is it too much of a risk to move them into my large tank yet?
<Yes. Quarantine should last at least 2 weeks, preferably 4-6.>
They seem to be quite alert, active and eating well, though one did seem quite lethargic this morning. I'm new to this game and am probably making rookie mistakes but I don't recall reading much on managing a quarantine tank in any of the books I've read, only how to set it up.
<This is a flaw with much literature. Quarantine methods are diverse, however. If your quarantine is unmedicated and stable, biological filtration will improve over the quarantine period. Until then do continue daily water changes to keep the nitrite low- and understand that should your fish require medication that wipes out this biological filter the water changes will become your only method of water maintenance.>
Thanks,
Robert from Newmarket Ontario.
<No problem! Benjamin>

Nitrate/nitrite 12/17/07
Gentlemen,
<Hello>
As always, I'll start with a thank you for all the useful information. I have a bit of a dilemma on my hands. I've been away on business for a few months and my wife was caring for my 75 gallon FOWLR. She did a great job I might add because there are also three little ones running around my house. The tank has been running for two years. At the time I left, my nitrites, nitrates and ammonia levels were zero. During the time I was gone, the tank experienced a bloom of red slime algae and green algae. The red slime algae is under control and the green algae is getting there. Upon my return, two days ago, I did a large water change (30 gallons).
<Good>
In the past I did 10 gallon water changes every other week. After the water change, my levels went up.
<Suspicious.>
Nitrites - .25 ppm, nitrates - 10 ppm, Ammonia - 0 and PH - 8.0. I have 1 blue damsel in the tank (lost a Naso Tang and Yellow Tang before I left and didn't want to replace them until I returned) and a number of hermit crabs and snails. Does this mean the tank has to cycle again ?
<No>
Do I stock the tank with damsels or Chromis for cycling purposes or do I wait this out ?
<Only if you want those particular fish.>
Was it my water change ?
<It sure sounds like it. Your numbers were higher after the water change. If that is indeed where the nitrite came from I would expect it to be processed by your live rock fairly quickly. As for the nitrate, keep up the water changes, after you test your make up water and source better quality water if need be.>
I have a wet/dry 150 gallon filter.
<Could possibly eliminate the biomedia to help with the nitrate issue. How much live rock do you have? Best Regards, Scott V.>

Re: Nitrate/nitrite 12/18/07
About seventy pounds of live rock that was once covered with coralline algae. Unfortunately, that beautiful pink/purplish color has faded to white/grey in many areas.
<It will surely return. I would pull any biomedia out of the wet/dry.>
A good portion of it still has a greenish /brown colored "hair" algae on it. Is that an indication of something I could attempt to fix or has my live rock died off ?
<Indicates your nitrate is high. You are measuring 10 ppm and that is just what the algae has not used.>
Does live rock die off ?
<Possible, doesn’t sound like the case here.>
I apologize for the basic questions but I still consider myself a beginner and really want to get this right. With only one fish (the blue damsel) left in the tank I'm open to any suggestions. I certainly don't want to add any fish until I know it's safe. Thank you for your time and patience.
<Water changes and time. As you get the water quality under control and the algae dies off it will necessitate more water changes. So in a way you are curing your rock again. Please test your source water and feed the remaining damsel very sparingly. Best regards, Scott V.>

Nitrite in Quarantine   5/25/07
Hey Crew!
<Don>
      I have a tomato clown that's about 2 inches in a quarantine tank that is 20 gallons. I had an ich outbreak and now promise myself to quarantine all fish from now on. My issue though  my quarantine tank has above 3mg nitrites.
<Yikes!>
When I set it up I had my 802 aqua clear power head quick filter in my sump that I'm using and my 20 gallon hang on top fin filter also from the sump of my display. I used all original tank water and now I am doing water changes everyday both tank water and new and it's not helping.
<Need to change more...>
If I keep up water changes like this I'll have to use all new salt mix water
<Bingo>
cause i would run out on tank water because I was planning on leaving the display tank fallow 45 days with water temp at 83 degrees. So besides breaking down the quarantine daily any advice? Thank you.
<Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/mardisindex.htm
The files linked below re Nitrites, Quarantine Systems and their Maintenance. Bob Fenner>

Sand and Nitrite, DSB Woes 4/17/07  James' go Hey guys. <Hi, whomever you are.> I have a problem here right now. Nitrite level is at 0.25ppm and my fishes died one at a time. It's really that horrible. Are fishes really that sensitive to nitrite level? <Is this a typo and meant nitrate?> I know that this is normally caused by increased in bioload. Let me update on some of my recent activities in the tank. Add in some snails recently and 4 of them died causing a foul smell in my tank. <This did not help matters any.> Then I introduced 4 new fishes into my tank. I have a DSB of 7inches in my refugium and it is supposed to be able to support my tank (no sand) of 50gallons. <Do not follow...DSB of 7 inches, (no sand)> I did a change of biological filter medium recently before addition of fishes. I took out the old ones and replace with better ones. But I didn't replace all of them at once. <Mmm, any live rock in the system?> I leave <left> out some old ones behind so that the bacteria are still around. I thought that the DSB will be able to support the tank but to my surprise, my nitrite level went up to 0.25ppm. I think the bioload possibly increased due to the demise of my snails and fishes. <Definitely helped the problem along.> And sadly, I am left with only a few fishes. The corals are intact. My clams and shrimps are all good and alive. No sign of Ich showed on my Powder Blue when it died. But some dark spots can be seen. <Tank would have been too small for this guy even if it were small, as they do require plenty of swimming room.> I still have a Powder Brown in my refugium but have placed it in a separate container of newly-prepared water. <Container sounds small, the fish probably won't last too long in that environment.> There are some color changes in my DSB. Some sand changes from yellow sand into grey color. I have included a picture on that. Is it caused by anaerobic bacteria? <Yes, can be caused by such.> When I try digging into the grey area, a lot of air bubbles coming out of the sand. <Nitrogen gas or hydrogen sulphide gas.  Does the sand/gravel have a rotten egg smell to it?  Pick a small handful up and give a whiff.> Despite having years of experience in reefing, this is the first time I see a change in coloration of my substrate. What caused that exactly? I do dose in medication for my fishes. <Not good, you are adding to your problems.  In my opinion, medications should only be used in quarantine tanks.  No effective pathogen/bacterial medication is completely safe irregardless of what it says on the bottle.> What I concluded and think is that the change of filter medium caused a breakdown in biological filtration with the addition of fishes and the demise of one after another, the biological system cannot support and thus increasing in nitrite level. But what I am more worried and suspicious of is that of my DSB, I fear that the bacteria are dying and that contributes to the reason why the DSB can't support my tank anymore. It spells trouble for me. <First, stop medicating and do read here and related links, so you have an understanding of how these systems work when set up properly.  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/deepsandbeds.htm> I will <would> like to hear you out on that and some of your <your> opinion. I'm not adding anymore stuffs in until I have find a solution or answer for that. <I wouldn't add any more stuffs either, but also would not add any more fish or invertebrates.> I am afraid the medication and ozone are causing the lose of bacteria. <You do not sound like you have years of reef experience.  Some of the problems you have mentioned should not have happened to an experienced aquarist.  Please read above, my friend.  I could not open the picture files, maybe Mr. Fenner can. <James (Salty Dog)>

Sand and Nitrite 4/17/07  Chris' go Hey guys. <Hello> I have a problem here right now. Nitrite level is at 0.25ppm and my fishes died one at a time. It's really that horrible. Are fishes really that sensitive to nitrite level?  <Yes, is quite toxic, nitrate is much less toxic, and the next step in the nitrogen cycle.> I know that this is normally caused by increase in bioload.  <Or overfeeding, or a crash of the bacterial population brought on by many different factors.> Let me update on some of my recent activities in the tank. Add in some snails recently and 4 of them died causing a foul smell in my tank. <Decaying organic matter, probably the source of the nitrite.> Then I introduce 4 new fishes into my tank. I have a DSB of 7inches in my refugium and it is supposed to be able to support my tank (no sand) of 50gallons.  <Do you have LR, generally a sandbed alone will not have sufficient surface area to do all the biological filtration.> I did a change of biological filter medium recently before addition of fishes.  <Probably added to the decrease in biological filtration capacity.> I took out the old ones and replace with better ones. But I didn't replace all of them at once.  <Need to space this out over weeks most likely.> I leave out some old ones behind so that the bacteria are still around.  <But it needs time to recolonize the new media.> I thought that the DSB will be able to support the tank but to my surprise, my nitrite level went up to 0.25ppm. I think the bioload possibly increased due to the demise of my snails and fishes. <I think you have unrealistic expectations of what a DSB is capable of.  Only the top inch or so of the DSB will help in Ammonia - Nitrite conversion.  Any deeper and there is not enough oxygen to accomplish this.  This is where the DSB can convert nitrate to nitrogen gas and keep nitrate lower.  Are you confusing nitrite and nitrate maybe?> And sadly, I am left with only a few fishes. The corals are intact. My clams and shrimps are all good and alive. No sign of Ich is showed on my powder blue when it died. But some dark spots can be seen.  <May just be stress or death markings, hard to say.> I still have a powder brown in my refugium but have placed it in a separate container of newly-prepared water.  <Filtered hopefully.> There are some color changes in my DSB. Some sand changes from yellow sand into grey color. I have included a picture on that. Is it caused by anaerobic bacteria ? When I try digging into the grey area, a lot of air bubbles coming out of the sand. <Could be areas of hydrogen sulfide, but you would smell it, smells like rotten eggs.  Hopefully just Nitrogen gas and the color changes just the waxing and waning of algae living along the glass.> Despite having years of experience in reefing, this is the first time I see a change in coloration of my substrate. What caused that exactly ? I do dose in medication for my fishes.  <What medications?  Why?  What are you trying to treat?> What I concluded and think is that the change of filter medium caused a breakdown in biological filtration with the addition of fishes and the demise of one after another, the biological system cannot support and thus increasing in nitrite level. But what I am more worried and suspicious of is that of my DSB, I fear that the bacteria are dying and that contributes to the reason why the DSB can't support my tank anymore. It spells trouble for me.  <The DSB works just like a shallow bed as far as nitrite reduction is concerned.  DSB used mainly for nitrate reduction.> I will like to hear you out on that and some of your opinion. I'm not adding anymore stuffs in until I have find a solution or answer for that.  <Good.> I am afraid if the medication and ozone are causing the lose of bacteria.  <Adding medication to the main tank is never a good idea.> <Chris>

Hello...? Justin... You've gots to make, re-place the titles... So I can find the ongoing corr. and place tog... RMF - 1/18/07
My water has been changed and the bio balls have been cleaned 2 times and filter changes,
<Bioballs need to be cleaned weekly, or very close to, as I stated previously.>
have had the tank 2 1/2 months and about the lighting I did give the wattage new one power Glo is 40 watts and the one I originally had in there was the coral Glo actinic 03 with the marine blue one.
<If you read how you phrased the original question about the lighting, it read like you had a 40 watt bulb already, then purchased a new fixture with a different type of bulb, and did not list the wattage.>
<....Please... Proper punctuation... I don't even know where to begin on correcting this!>
The ammonia was 0.0
and the nitrites were 0.1
I tested the nitrites not the nitrates as I could not figure out the tester.
<You should have a professional at a local fish store or otherwise show you how to use such.>
and I will do another water change tomorrow and I thank you very much for all your help, and I will just enjoy and keep a close eye on the water changes. I feed my fish 1 time a day now, was feeding 2 times a day.
<You need to identify, and remove, the source of your nitrites. Your nitrites are slowly poisoning your livestock, anytime there is any present. Once again, I IMPLORE you to PLEASE read over our query conventions -- we simply do not have enough time to correct these grammatical errors! http://www.wetwebmedia.com/QueryCorrsRefPg.htm http://www.wetwebmedia.com/faqstips.htm http://www.wetwebmedia.com/WWMAdminSubWebIndex/question_page.htm -JustinN>

Those Pesky Nitrites - 11/12/06
Hi Eric,
<<Hi Ken>>
How is the diving?
<<It's excellent mate!  We did a 118' dive at Two-Step a few days ago to see some Bicolor Anthias and Stenopus shrimp, and we just came back from a dive at Kaloko a couple hours ago.  Air temperature is averaging about 87-degrees, water temperature is 81-degrees (even at depth)...amazing>>
Hope all is going well for you.
<<Indeed it is...!>>
Well, I am still waiting for the nitrites to read zero.
<<Patience, Grasshopper>>
In my past experience, once they drop, they drop like a rock and that's it.
<<Perhaps something deep in the rock...>>
The tank has been set up for 2 weeks and 2 days.  I still have low levels of nitrite.
<<Will pass in time...cycles can be as long as 8 weeks or more sometimes...especially if the rock has not been pre-cured>>
On LaMotte Colorimeter, which has a digital readout, it says I have .040 ppm.  This is expressed as Nitrite Nitrogen (NO2-N). To get ppm nitrite (NO2) you have to multiply the test results by 3.3.
So, my readings over the last few days have been .046, .037, .040 (NO2-N). Multiplied out I get: 0.1518, 0.1221, 0.1320 ppm (NO2).
Is it normal to still have nitrites at this point?
<<Oh yes>>
I thought with live rock all is cycled in about a week.
<<Absolutely not.  This is a possibility, but certainly not an absolute.  Perhaps this rock was not as "mature" as you thought/were told>>
Does this say anything about the quality of the rock?
<<Hard to say...  Very good rock, if fresh from the ocean, would have a considerably longer cycle period than not-so-good rock that has been sitting in a dealer's tank for a couple months>>
Any reason you can think of why it has stayed at basically the same level for many days?
<<Mmm...the presence of decaying organic material in the rock>>
Also, which is the correct way reading the result, NO2 or NO2-N?
<<Can use either, the goal still is to reach 'zero' regardless>>
In other words, when using other test kits such as Fastest, Salifert, etc, which way do they use so that I can compare apples to apples.
<<NO2>>
I used Fastest today as well and there was a very, very faint tint of pinkish.
<<I'm not a big fan of these test kits (Fastest), but even so...still pink <grin> >>
My nitrates are 1.89 ppm Nitrate Nitrogen (NO3-N).  I have to multiply by 4.4 to get Nitrate (NO3).  This is then 8.31 ppm.
Typically which way is used to read nitrite: (NO3-N), or (NO3).
<<NO3>>
Same question for nitrate.  I am trying to figure out my readings.
<<Understood>>
By the way, is it a good idea to put any flake food or frozen food in the tank to continue the cycling?
<<Not necessary...is obvious to me the rock is still producing/processing decaying matter>>
Thanks and regards,
Ken
<<Two weeks is not a long time for a tank to be cycling/to be where your tank is now.  Typically, 4- to 6-weeks is "very" common...it will “get there”.  Eric Russell>>

Re: Those Pesky Nitrites - 11/13/06
Hey Eric,
<<Hiya Ken>>
Sounds nice.
<<Yes indeedy>>
I travel to Asia and Southeast Asia about 4 times a year for work.  I had a couple days off in may and went to Phuket, Thailand.
<<Cool...Bob was just at Chiang Mai a few weeks ago>>
The water temp was similar to where you are.
<<Neat...forgot to mention also, visibility is about 100'...I think I'm spoiled>>
I guess I read too much about reef tanks cycling within a week.
<<It can/does happen...but is not the "norm">>
You are correct though about the rock.  The rock that I got was not cured, but was pretty clean.
<<Not a problem...just needs time to cure>>
I got to the fish store as they just received 3 boxes of rock from Newark Airport.
<<Best way to do it in my opinion>>
I picked about 90% of my rock from those boxes.
<<Excellent!>>
They had airway billstickers from LAX and also said New Zealand Airlines.  I would imagine that the rock was cleaned somewhat overseas plus whatever died-off in transit and my bringing it back home and cleaning/putting in my tank.
<<Agreed.  The extent of "cleaning" by collectors will vary.  Some have systems where the rock is placed on racks and sprayed continuously with saltwater to rinse away dead/dying/decaying organisms, others don't go to such trouble and will have varying degrees of attention to the rock after collection>>
The rock didn't smell bad, but it did not smell cured.  The rock does not have that smell any longer.  By the way, I did add some CaribSea Aragonite "live" reef sand yesterday.  I did not want a deep layer.  I put in about 30 lbs.  Just enough to give me a little depth and to go around the rock but not underneath it.
<<Sounds fine>>
Thanks for the help.
<<Always welcome>>
Regards,
Ken
<<Be chatting, Eric Russell>>

R2: Those Pesky Nitrites - 11/13/06
Hey Eric,
<<Ken>>
I usually stop in transit in Chiang Mai on my way from Hong Kong to Bangladesh.
<<Wow...long flights, eh?>>
I have an unrelated question for you.
<<Okay>>
Is it possible for a tank to be over skimmed?
<<Not really...in my opinion.  Installing a skimmer bigger than "needed" may not make "economic" sense, but I don't think it is deleterious to your system>>
I know skimmers have ratings (accurate or not),
<<The better skimmer manufacturers are pretty close on the suggested ratings)>>
but if I put a big and very efficient skimmer on a tank that is rated much higher than the tank volume (example: 100 gallon tank and 700 gallon skimmer), is it detrimental to the tank?
<<Not in my opinion, but you will find the difference in price between a 100g-rated skimmer and a 700g-rated skimmer, among the high-end skimmer manufacturers, will likely cause you to rethink this strategy>>
Will you pull out the good stuff from the water along with the bad?
<<The size of the skimmer has nothing to do with this ratio.  Any skimmer will remove a certain amount of "good stuff", but the advantages of these devices far outweigh any perceived disadvantages in my opinion>>
I had also seen some information about K+ deficiency with regards to over skimming.  What are your thoughts on this?
<<Potassium?  Same as with the possible removal of trace elements by these devices...all easily replaced with frequent water changes>>
Thanks and regards,
Ken
<<Always welcome, EricR>>

Help With A Nitrite Reading...More Biofiltration  - 05/22/2006
Good morning Bob,
<James today.  Bob is out in sunny HI.>
I was hoping you could answer a question for me. On one of my customer's tanks, she can't seem to shake a nitrite reading. I have had her replace the test kit 3 times, trying a different kit each time. Every time she tests her nitrites, she usually gets a .25 reading. Sometimes however, it is as far up as 1 ppm. I am well aware of how dangerous this level is, and I have had her doing partial water changes on a consistent basis to try to control this.
Nothing seems to work however.
Here are the tank specs:
It is a 75 gallon tank. There are 3 fish in the tank, an Auriga Butterfly, a Coral Beauty Angel, and a chromis. The tank is fed moderately every other day, and water changes are being done anywhere from one to two days every week (because of the nitrites). The tank has been set-up for 6 months.
I just can't seem to figure out why the nitrites keep spiking. The only main problem with the tank is that there is not much live rock. There is only 10 lbs. <I think you've answered your own question here.>
I have her curing 70 lbs. as we speak, but for the time being, I would still love to have her get rid of these nitrites. The weird thing is that
she never has any detachable ammonia reading. Every time she tests the water, ammonia is always 0 and nitrite is .25 or 1ppm. The tank was properly cycled, and there is a Whisper hang-on filter on the tank, as well as a Visi-Jet skimmer.
<Poor choices for filtering and skimming on this size tank.  The tank needs more biofiltration.  The Whisper isn't going to help in that regard.  I'm sure that once the additional 70 pounds of live rock is added, nitrites will drop to 0 shortly after. I would not have added sensitive fish like the butterfly and angel to a tank without an efficient bio-filter.>
Any help you can provide would be wonderful! Thank you!
<You're welcome.  James (Salty Dog)>
Sincerely,
Ryan

No nitrites - 05/16/2006
    Hello, and thanks for all the great reading and help. My set up is as follows: 90 gal reef with 20 gal sump. 220 lbs of Australian gold sand (dreaming of a dusky jaw) and 115 lbs live rock. My equipment is 3 maxi-jet 1200's inside main tank and a PM bullet 1 skimmer in sump. I have no livestock at all, trying to cycle naturally.
    My lighting is 2- 150w MH, 2-96w blue actinics with 4 lunar lights. My tank has been set up like this since April 13th, starting the process about a week before that. I believe I need a fan over my sump as my temp. goes from 80.4' to 82.4' during the course of the day. I only keep my MH's on for 6 hours, actinics for 10. I do have a built in fan under lights in canopy. From what I've read here I should try fanning my sump.
     I recently (5 days ago)  finally had an ammonia spike of 1.0, this was quick-- basically waiting for weeks and then bam, here and gone. My ammonia is now 0. My nitrates are only 5-10ppm (I have only done 1 water change due to too many diatoms, 3 weeks ago) . I have not seen a nitrite reading at all. I know my test is working property as I cycled my quarantine just fine.
    I presently have 2 clowns in my quarantine waiting, and I'm wondering--did I miss the nitrite spike? I test about every 4 days. I'm not sure how long I should wait.
    Thanks I know this is ridiculously long, I truly appreciate it.
Jill
<<Jill:  How long have the clowns been in QT?  What is the SG of your tank and QT?  Before you add the Clowns to the main tank, I would make sure that they are healthy and eating.  It's a lot harder to catch a fish in a tank with a lot of rocks.  At this point, since you already have the clowns and you believe that your tank has cycled, you can consider adding them to the tank.  However, if you really want to play it safe and avoid introducing fish diseases into your main tank, you should QT the clowns for at least 6 weeks with at an SG of 1.009 measured with a refractometer.  While the clowns remain in QT, you can consider getting some snails, etc to add to the tank.  Best of luck, Roy>>

Nitrite reading  - 1/6/06
Hi, <Hello Dave>
I have a relatively new  50 gallon marine set up with two small clowns a medium size yellow tang and a small royal Gramma the set up is about 8 weeks old and  had fish in for about 2 weeks. The protein skimmer is not working properly but I am in contact with the supplier in the US to replace the water pump.
My problem is I am getting 0.25 reading of nitrite and even lower reading of ammonia, is this normal in a new set up, do you think its because the skimmer is not working,<No> I have just done a 15% water change. <In reading your "PS" below, yes this is probably the reason.  I am assuming that you are treating with copper which will dramatically reduce the bacteria required for biological filtration. It is important at this time to keep the tank clean and do not overfeed.  James (Salty Dog)>
Thanks
Dave
PS I am currently treating the tang and Gramma for white spot. Could this be a reason for nitrite readings?
Nitrite reading
Hi, <<Dave, forgot to mention that you should seriously consider a Quarantine tank both for quarantining new arrivals and for the treatment of diseased fish.  James (Salty Dog)>>

The Simple Approach To Nitrite Reduction!   12/29/05
Hey there,
<Hi there! Scott F. here, back from the limitless void>
I have wrote to you all about my 75 gallon saltwater tank that was inherited.  It came with about an 18" zebra moray.  Here is my question.  I have a Seaclone skimmer that was cleaning pretty good, a Rena XP2 filter, and about 40-50lbs. of live rock.  Due having my fish (small Clown, juvenile Blue Tang, juvenile Niger, and sm. Dottyback, and Eel) in a small tank while the big one cycled; I put everything in the big once all my chemical levels zeroed.  Now my nitrites are about .25 and everything else is good.  Sorry to ramble...I have been doing about 5 gallon water changes very regularly to help with this, but nothing seems to work.  Any suggestions?
Thanks,
Rob
<Well, Rob, nitrite in any system is indicative of an "immature" or disrupted biological filtration capability. By doing water changes, you may actually be disrupting the very process that you are trying to foster. My solution to your problem is probably this most simple of all...Don't do anything at all! Just let nature complete the cycle. Given time and a little patience on your part, you'll see the nitrites drop to undetectable levels. Best of luck to you! Regards, Scott F.>

Ammonia and Nitrite - 12/26/05
Hi,
<<Hello>>
I find your website very very interesting for beginners in saltwater aquarium hobby.
<<That's great!>>
I have a 66 Gallon tank. I have 2 power filters, one for the skimmer (it’s a quite a big skimmer) and one to get a good water circulation.  I also have a canister filter (1100L/H) and a heater.  I have used saltwater water direct from the sea but conditioned.
<<Not the best way to go.  Too much risk of introducing pollution/parasites, along with a very weak/short-lived buffer capacity.>>
I have dead corals, dead rock, sea sand and a bit of crushed coral sand in the tank.  My tank looks great with the crystal clear water.  Now I want to start my cycling process.
<<Mmm...the cycling process started once all was added to the tank.>>
So 3 days after setting up the tank when all my equipment were running well I introduced 6 Damsel Fish (4 Domino and 2 Blue Damsels)
<<Sheesh...I know this is a somewhat accepted and often used method, but I just think there are better ways to introduce nitrogenous compounds/waste to a tank for cycling purposes.  Aside from the obvious stress and distress caused to these fishes, many times aquarists find they don't want these fishes/can't keep other fishes due to the damsel's nasty dispositions (the Domino damsels will grow in to real terrors, magnified by the confines of this tank).  It is my opinion that the same result can be achieved when cycling a tank by adding a "small" amount of fish food every few days...or better yet... a couple small bits of uncured live rock.>>
when I checked my Ammonia, Nitrite & pH values on the 5th day it was as follows; Ammonia (mg/l) = very close to 1.0, Nitrite (mg/l) = 0.2 – 0.5.  My questions how can I get both the Ammonia and Nitrite readings together like this?  If I am correct I should get the Nitrite reading after the Ammonia reading is zero right?
<<Not correct.  You have insufficient bacteria growth yet in this system, along with a very heavy fish load for this tank and its current stage (one damsel would have been plenty).  As such, you are going to have measurable amounts of ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate in this system.  Please do some reading here and at the indices in blue at the top of the page: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/estbiofiltmar.htm  >>
Is there something wrong with my tank condition?
<<Nothing unexpected...you are experiencing the nitrogen cycle...please do some reading up on this, much info re on our website.>>
My fish seems to be fine for the moment but I am worried please let me know your view.
<<You have my view on this.  Regards, EricR>>
Thanks Akila

Re: Ammonia and Nitrite - 12/25/05
Hi Eric
<<Hello Akila>>
Thanks for your quick and valuable response.
<<You're very welcome.>>
By reading your reply and also the recommended information on the cycling process I have decided that patience is virtue here.
<<Indeed>>
So I’ll be doing the tests regularly and see what’s happening.
<<Very good>>
Also could you please let me know what exactly buffer capacity is? How you do measure your buffer? What effect does that have on fish, water quality and bacteria?
<<Buffer capacity, simply stated, is a measure of your tanks ability to neutralize acids while resisting change.  Do some more reading here for further explanation: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/calcalkmar.htm >>
I have placed my tank outdoor.  But when I researched so many articles say to keep your tank out of direct sunlight.  Why is this?
<<This is generally to reduce/prevent heat buildup.>>
I actually don’t have direct sunlight to the place where my tank is but I get somewhat more sunlight than keeping it inside the house.
<<If the tank is not overheating it is likely fine.  Rodney Jonklaas did just this many years ago with his fish only tanks in Ceylon.>>
Please let me know what effect sunlight has on the tank water quality, fish and bacteria.  Up to now I don’t seem to have a problem.
<<Then I doubt you will...no need to worry.>>
Appreciate your response.
Thanks
Best regards,
Akila
<<Cheers my friend, EricR>>

Re: Ammonia and Nitrite II - 12/29/05
Dear Eric
<<Hello Akila>>
Thanks again for your valuable information.
<<Always welcome my friend.>>
I live in Ceylon too.
<<Cool!  Maybe someday I'll come visit, go diving...>>
I have no overheating problems because as I said although the tank is outdoors the tank is not exposed to any direct sunbeams.
<<Sounds fine>>
But my concern is algae.
<<Likely of little "concern" if the tank does not receive direct sunlight.>>
I heard when the tank is outdoors you are more likely to get algae problems in your tank.
<<A lighting (sunlight) issue...doesn't seem to be the case here.>>
What kind of algae are these?
<<The same that occur under artificial lighting.>>
And how do you remove them if a problem occurs?
<<The same way you do for those that occur under artificial lighting.  Here's some more reading for ya:  http://www.wetwebmedia.com/algaeconMar.htm >>
Oh, and also by keeping my marine tank outdoors, will my water
turn into brown or green color like the common problem in
freshwater tanks?
<<If neglected, yes.>>
What are hair algae that everyone talks about?
<<Just that...long, stringy, filamentous algae that resembles, well...hair...usually a sign/result of overstocking/feeding, excess nutrients, insufficient export mechanisms, etc..>>
Because my tank is a Fish Only tank is this something to be worried about because I read many articles say that the problem exists in Reef tanks.  Why is this?
<<Mmm...this algae can be/become problematic in any system (FO/FOWLR/REEF), if not properly maintained.  But is possibly encountered more/most often in reef systems due to the higher intensity lighting associated with same.>>
Also please let me know some tank cleaning animals (like scavenges
in freshwater tanks) that will control the algae over growth.  Are
Shrimps & Gobies good for this job?  Or are there any other kind?
<<Turbo and Astrea snails are considered good algae grazers by many, though I honestly have my doubts as to their utility re.  Some blennies, some tangs, are good grazers...as are urchins of the genus Diadema.  I've also heard tell of a small (3") tropical Pacific Abalone that is supposed to be a good algae grazer, but I've not yet been able to acquire any to see for myself.  A Google search for "algae grazer" should provide some other ideas/examples as well.  But whether or not you can have some of these critters will depend on the fishes in your tank.>>
Sorry to trouble you with so many questions almost everyday.  As I am new to this hobby I am still confused.
<<No trouble at all.>>
Thanks for your help.
Appreciate your response.
Happy New Year to youj))))
Best regards,
Akila
<<Happy New Year to you too Akila!  EricR>>

Re: Ammonia and Nitrite III - 01/01/06
Hi Eric
<<Hi Akila>>
Thanks again for your valuable information and also if you do come to Ceylon I'll sure help you out with your journey.
<<Sounds good my friend.>>
My current condition of the tank is at expected levels.  Now my ammonia level is dropping and the nitrite is sky high.
<<Yes, as expected with a tank that is cycling.>>
Anyways I have some more problems that I need your views on.
<<Okay>>
When I replace the evaporated water, is it alright to refill it with Chlorine-less tap water or should I have buy purified water   all the time?
<<Depends on your tap water ultimately, but for a fish-only system this is usually fine.>>
Do I have to add some saltwater to the tank when replacing the evaporated water (Ex: when replacing evaporated water should I add
75% fresh and 25% saltwater).
<<Nope...maintain your salinity with frequent partial water changes.>>
And what about saltwater that goes out with the protein skimmer should I replace that water with saltwater?
<<Monitor salinity and adjust as explained.>>
Also it is alright to use normal very clean salt (NOT MARINE SALT) that we use in our kitchen to balance the salinity of the water
(at very urgent situations only)?
<<I wouldn't...best to use a proprietary salt mix here.>>
Monthly when maintaining how much water (Percentage) should I take out to replace with new saltwater
<<Twenty percent monthly is a good starting point...can be increased if necessary.>>
and does this reduce the nitrate levels in the tank?
<<Yes, as well as reducing other pollutants, and replenishing trace/earth elements.>>
Or are there any other ways to reduce nitrate levels?
<<For your situation I think frequent partial water changes will serve well.>>
Thanks for your help.
Appreciate your response.
Best regards,
Akila
<<Always welcome, EricR>>

High Ammonia and Nitrite 11/25/05
Hi guys, unfortunately my ammonia levels spiked after I put some Blade Brush plants in my tank. I had poly filters in for two days, and the ammonia level is still high, so is the nitrite levels. I ran out of poly filters, and I don't know what else I can do. I replaced them with  regular sponge filters. any advice? I'm a little stuck. ~Sam  
<You could use Amquel to drop the ammonia in this emergency, but you must also figure out why your biological filtration did not handle these wastes.  Please see these two links for more information: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/ca/volume_2/cav2i5/Filtration/Filtration.htm
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marsetupindex2.htm >
P.S. I have a Picasso and a tusk, and they both seem to be more inactive since the spike in ammonia.
<No doubt!  In the short term, I would suggest using Amquel to reduce the ammonia and then performing a couple of large water changes.  DON'T do water changes while the ammonia is high!!  The high pH of newly mixed saltwater makes the ammonia more toxic.  You don't provide much information about your system (age, filtration, live rock, etc.), so I can't make specific recommendations, but the two links above should provide you with plenty of good info to be sure that you are providing the basics for marine aquarium filtration.  Best Regards.  AdamC.>
<If one keeps pre-mixed, aerated/circulated saltwater on hand, one ought to do water changes.  It's only newly mixed saltwater that is the major concern, here.  -SCF>

High Ammonia and Nitrite part 2  12/04/05
Hi, I emailed you guys on my high ammonia levels. I was told to use AmQuel. Someone said I needed to be more specific about what's in my tank, so I wanted to let you know. I have a 90 gallon with about 75 LBS of live rock. I have a wet dry filter, Fluval 304, two powerheads, and a Aquawheel filter.
<The live rock and wet/dry should each be able to handle quite a bit of ammonia on their own, and it is hard to imagine what is producing so much ammonia that they are both overwhelmed. I would suggest verifying your ammonia reading with another test kit (preferably new and a different brand).>
I don't have any carbon in right now as a matter of fact because I have been treating for ich. A crazy strain of it. It's been in my tank for about a month. I treated for 3 weeks with SeaCure copper treatment. I then got a UV sterilizer, I think I might of recently got rid of it. Anyway, yes a Picasso, and a tusk are the fish I have in my tank right now.
<Copper should never be used in a display, especially with live rock. It can harm the critters living in the rock as well as reduce the population of bacteria that process ammonia. It is possible that these treatments damaged your biological filtration and caused the ammonia to rise, but it is also possible that the copper itself (which is easily overdosed) is causing your fish to look bad. Any drug treatment should be carried out in a hospital tank, and the instructions for copper must be followed carefully.>
Will carbon help me lower my high ammonia levels that I have. should I just stock up on more PolyFilters? thanks, Sam <Carbon will only reduce ammonia in so much as it acts as a place for bacteria to colonize. Poly filters are probably only slightly more effective. I would suggest using AmQuel and feeding very lightly in the short term (a few days), while your biological filtration catches up. Best Regards. AdamC.>

The Disappearing Nitrite Mystery 11/3/05
Bob --
<Chris>
First, I must say that I thoroughly enjoy your site and want to thank you for all the great information it has provided me in starting this great hobby.
<Welcome>
I'm cycling a 30g marine tank and it's nearing the end of the cycle (yay). I started with 30lb of mostly cured live rock from the LFS, but with enough dead stuff to kick up a short ammonia spike. This has made the whole "cycle" go really fast (2 weeks, rather than 4) since I was essentially seeding the system with *some* bacteria.
<Good>
Anyway, my nitrites have been off the chart, while ammonia settled down to about .1ppm ... Which was a good indicator that I did indeed have healthy bacteria on the live rock. Nitrates slowly came up to about 10ppm and the nitrites have remained steadily "off the chart".
<Happens>
I did a 5g water change 2 days ago. Last night, I tested the tank again... Ammonia had settled to 0 (yay, again), but surprisingly, nitrites jumped down to .25ppm! Surprisingly, nitrate is still at 10ppm. SO... This leaves me with a puzzling question... Where did all those nitrites go??
<Converted! Like a football touchdown!>
<<Somewhat, however, this conversion always gets you the two points. MH>>
One possible answer... The 5 gallons of new water (DI water) was treated with Amquel+, and of course, allowed to "brew" for a few days with a heater and airstone for circulation. I highly doubt that the 5 gallons treated with Amquel+ (1/2 tsp) would have enough kick in it after a few days to clear up all those nitrites in a 30g tank.
<Mmm, the Amquel could be masking some here, as well as giving you a "false negative" on your nitrite tests... but all is likely cycling... and nitrites should be negligible soon>
So... I'd just like to figure out where all those nitrites went. I don't want to incorrectly assume that my cycle is finished, because I would expect to see the nitrates rise as the nitrite falls.
<Mmm, they have...>
At least for the next few days, I'll be watching the nitrites to see if they remain steady, or rise back to cycle levels. Nitrates, of course, are still at 10ppm where they've been for a while. 
<May be about here for a while/ever>
BTW, I've got a blue-legged hermit and a small snail that came as hitchhikers on the rock, plus the typical amphipods, a few bristle worms, small sponges, 1 small coral, and some coralline algae (which I hope will grow over the next few months).
Best,
--Chris in Goffstown, NH
<Bob F, back in sunny Southern Cal.> 

Nitrite Rise !  9/28/05
Hello WetWebMedia,
<Sam>
I have a standard 4ft tank and have just changed the gravel from shell grit to coral sand. after a few days I noticed that the nitrite was at 0.5 and still is.
<Mmm, not unusual>
Is this just a temporary rise and if it is how long do you think it will take to go back to 0.
<Hopefully temporary... would take action if approaches 1.0 ppm... likely to drop in a few weeks... maybe sooner. There are articles, FAQs files on nitrites, biological filtration, substrates... on WWM. Bob Fenner>
From Sam

Nitrite rise after substrate change 9/26/05
Hello WetWebMedia,  <AdamC. Here today!>
I have a standard 4ft tank and have just changed the gravel from shell grit to coral sand. After a few days I noticed that the nitrite was at 0.5 and still is. Is this just a temporary rise and if it is how long do you think it will take to go back to 0. From Sam  <This rise is probably due to the disruption in your biological filtration.  Depending on your other filtration (live rock, power filters, etc.), it should return to zero in a few days.  Best Regards.  AdamC.>

Can't get rid of the nitrite
First of all I would like to thank you for all the information that you guys have given. <You're welcome>  I'm having a problem with my 65 gallon saltwater tank.  I have been in the hobby for about a year now and am still learning as I go.  As I said my tank is 65 gallons, with a wet/dry filter, a canister filter, about 20 lbs of live sand (sitting on top of some none live sand) and 40 lbs of LR for filtration.  My problem is that I still have nitrite in the tank, around .15 ppm (although if fluctuates b/w .15 and .25 ppm), with the ammonia reading zero. <mmm unusual.  Have you tried another nitrite test kit?>
I let the tank cycle four about four weeks with some LR in the tank, and I did get the nitrite down to zero at one point in time.  My LFS is not sure what could be wrong, though they have made many suggestions but nothing seems to work.  I know that there is nothing died in the tank and I am sure that I am not over feeding the fish.  I make regular water changes every two weeks, about 15-20 gallons each (is this to much at one time?), using ro/di water. <Twelve gallons every two weeks is sufficient, preferably six gallons per week.>  I use to siphon the sand during the water changes but was told by my LFS to leave it alone.  Is this good advice? <If you don't have any sand sifting creatures, I would vacuum during water changes.  You will be surprised at the detritus that is removed.>  I'm trying to start a reef tank and already have a couple pieces of corals in the tank.  There seems to be nothing wrong with them, although like I said I am a beginner and not completely sure about some of the behaviors of the corals on a regular basis.<You need to go to the Wet Web Media, keyword "Corals" and read, know what you are getting into and the requirements that have to be met.>  The fish also seem not be suffering from the nitrite also.  I guess what I am looking for is any possible solutions that you may have to fix this problem.  Thank you very much.   <I'd start by trying a different nitrite test kit.  Take your sample somewhere mid tank, not the surface.  James (Salty Dog)>  

Nitrite safe in a marine aquarium 8/17/05
Hello,
<<Hello Jonathan. Ted with you today>>
I had a colleague at a pet store that I work at, tell me that nitrite (with an 'I') is nontoxic in a marine aquarium.  I know that in a freshwater aquarium, medicinal aquarium salt can be used to relieve nitrite poisoning,
so it seems logical.  I found one website that stated due to the high pH and salinity of a marine aquarium that nitrite isn't toxic to fish, and they can be seen swimming in 25 ppm with no stress.  I can't find too many sources on
google that say any more to confirm this, or WetWebMedia.
<<Are you sure someone isn't confusing nitrite with nitrate? Nitrite at the level we're discussing is toxic>>
Off course as a concerned hobbyist we should strive to ensure that the tank reads zero on the nitrite scale.  And having detectable nitrite in someone’s aquarium concerns me that the have possibly had a surge of ammonia, or damaged their biological filter which could lead to ammonia poisoning.
<<A increase in nitrite, especially in an established system would be a concern.>>
In a practical sense, if nitrite was nontoxic to fish in a marine environment.  That means when someone cycles their tank the old fashioned way with damsels, they can breathe a sigh of relief when they've gotten past
the ammonia part of it. (Though I would never recommend to add more fish until the cycle is complete with no nitrite and little bit of nitrate)<<And don't forget to quarantine before adding more livestock.>>
And if for some reason they have it present in an established tank, I could address the problem as; trying to find out why they have it, advising daily water tests for ammonia and nitrite, and if ammonia becomes visible to do a good sized water change / and or apply SeaChem Prime<<Agreed>>
If ammonia is 'nontoxic' to fish in a marine aquarium I wouldn't have to treat it as in freshwater, where a high nitrite level can kill, and is just
as serious as ammonia.<<But we know that ammonia is toxic>>
Which, as a follow up, would mean possibly the same in a brackish tank?
Or a salted freshwater aquarium? (Which I dislike the practice of)<<I'm not sure what you mean here.>>
Thank you for time and furtherment of the hobby,
<<You're welcome.>>
p.s. If possible could you pass this email around, I love second opinions, ha,
regards,
Jonathan
<<Cheers - Ted>>