Faithbleed Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Hi All, I'm currently running a 300L marine tank and have started with 2 baby clowns then added 3 chromis a week later I've been testing over the past 3 weeks and all results have been good, however 4 days ago I started to detect Nitrite. Last test was about 0.025ppm. I expect this is a result of the bioload finally being kickstarted thanks to the chromis. I'm doing a 30% water change today, but just wanted to seek advice to see if theres anything else I should be doing/concerned about? Cheers Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 could consider a live bacteria solution such as TLC should boost the bacteria to eat up your nitrites. any nitrate reading yet??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 Hi All, I'm currently running a 300L marine tank and have started with 2 baby clowns then added 3 chromis a week later I've been testing over the past 3 weeks and all results have been good, however 4 days ago I started to detect Nitrite. Last test was about 0.025ppm. I expect this is a result of the bioload finally being kickstarted thanks to the chromis. I'm doing a 30% water change today, but just wanted to seek advice to see if theres anything else I should be doing/concerned about? Cheers Dave Surprised your test kit even registers that low a concentration of nitrates. I'd have thought that would be about the normal trace levels of a cycled tank. Your tank won't be remotely cycled after just a week. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puttputt Posted June 14, 2012 Report Share Posted June 14, 2012 +1, takes months to correctly cycle a tank. Fish should never be added until you see levels go up and back down and you can detect nitrate. Min of a month, more like 6 weeks, patience required with salt water tanks - it sometimes takes 3-4 weeks before the cycle even starts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithbleed Posted June 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Put the pitch forks away, tank has fully cycled about a 1 1/2 months ago, tank cycled for approximately 6+ weeks. Water params have been fine since the cycle, nitrates were a little high, but have been steadily coming down. I guess I'm just a bit overly cautious as I've had a zero nitrite reading since the cycle finished and this is first reading with anything detected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 i'd test again, preferably with a different kit just to make sure the kit is not faulty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithbleed Posted June 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 I'm using Salifert test kits and they've been reliable up till now, so I don't think they're the problem, but if I can source another brand of test kit I'll do that. Current Reading are thus: PH: 8.2 Ammonia: 0 Nitrite: 0.025 Nitrate: 2.5 Phosphate: 0 Salinity: 1.0235 Temp: 26 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dachende Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Try to ignore the pitchforks, it seems to be happening to everyone who asks for advice lately. Water changes will keep your levels down until the bacteria multiplies enough to handle the new bioload. Sounds like you're on the right track. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrahamC Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 I recall that chloride ions protect the fish from the nitrites too ie. less of an issue in a marine tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 don't add any off the shelf treatments to tank just carry on as you have been doing your best tool is a water change Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricketman Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 I'm currently running a 300L marine tank and have started with 2 baby clowns then added 3 chromis a week later I've been testing over the past 3 weeks... Read that on its own and you'll see where the assumption came in... Agreed, probably shouldn't assume, but the number of times the old salt-dogs round here see exactly this in our lifetime is shocking... Try to ignore the pitchforks, it seems to be happening to everyone who asks for advice lately. You've been here all of how long and you're already pointing fingers and passing comment? Really?? :-? :roll: Honestly, it reactions like this that make me just want to give up trying to help anyone ever again... Back to the case at hand... Water changes are all you need. The Nitrite reading you have is tiny, and nothing to be too alarmed about, just keep an eye on it, it most likely a mini-cycle probably caused by the addition of the Chromis. You should get a nitrate reading in a few days, not withstanding water changes reducing all your nitrogenous readings... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithbleed Posted June 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Yeah, I can understand how the assumption was made, probably should have clarified (just wanted to cut down the fluff which I tend to add with my posts). Thanks, I'll do the water change and keep an eye on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raeh1 Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 if it gets to high you will have to look at bacteria treatments but currently mointor it twice a day and be prepared. A water change will help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puttputt Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 People gave advise based on what was posted, none was nasty or anything like it, but still the heros with there "everyones mean to me" start again - gets boring after a while. Cricket's right, given the new info, water changes are the way to go, make sure your skimmer is tuned to skim green, and watch your food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 oh well off to sharpen those pitch forks again .... why dont we have a smiling devil smiley??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F15hguy Posted June 15, 2012 Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 nah, more like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faithbleed Posted June 15, 2012 Author Report Share Posted June 15, 2012 Thanks everyone for the advice, have done a 30% water change last night and retested this morning. Nitrite sitting on 0.01, so slightly down, but still present. I'll continue to monitor. Cheers Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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