Odd Nitrites

[Jivenjune]

Okay... So I've recently redone my tank completely. I tore apart my 60 gallon, cleaned everything with oxyclean, and started fresh at full marine salinity. My nitrites, nitrates, and ammonia were all at 0. One day later, my ammonia is at 0 and my nitrites have skyrocketed. Has anyone ever heard of anything like this? Is it possible that there is something that is contaminating my water to some huge degree? I've also completely disassembled my filter just in case something was in there that might be causing problems. I've never heard of nitrites going up before ammonia in the cycling process.

[LilGreenPuffer]

Did you add live rock yet?

[Jivenjune]

Did you add live rock yet?

I added a pound of live rock recently, but it was unusually high before I even added it. It's two small pieces of live rock from an established aquarium. I think the nitrites are going down, just somewhat slowly.

[Pufferpunk]

Very weird... what test kit?

[Jivenjune]

Very weird... what test kit?

API master saltwater kit, and yeah, I agree. I'm completely baffled by this strange fluctuation of nitrite. My nitrites are at about 1, and my salinity is currently at full marine: 1.021-1.022 (waiting on my refractometer to get shipped).

What's also strange is that I also have some low detectable levels of nitrates? It's 5-10, possibly under 5 (the colors mesh) but it's there to some detectable degree.

I think the bacteria on the live rock is helping; I purchased it purely for the bacterial colony inhabiting it, and it was purchased directly from a cycled saltwater aquarium with fish living happily in it. It also remained completely submerged during transport.

I just find it extremely odd to have traces of nitrates and nitrite when I've completely started fresh and especially when I consider that it's been only two days. Could it be possible that there is something in my filter causing this?

I have an order of Dr. Tims Na h20 formula coming in from Dr. Foster which should immediately cycle my tank; I just can't figure if my nitrites are going to be some permanent dilemma due to some unknown source of nitrites that I can't seem to find in my aquarium.

I also have gotten my water tested at my LFS. The readings come out pretty similar, so I don't think it's my test kit.

[Pufferpunk]

Especially since you only have 1lb of rock in there... Are you going to put more rock before the Dr Tim's?

Did you get some calibration solution for the refractomer?

[Jivenjune]

Especially since you only have 1lb of rock in there... Are you going to put more rock before the Dr Tim's?

Did you get some calibration solution for the refractomer?

I don't have my refractometer yet, but the one I purchased does come with calibration solution.

The live rock was just a temporary solution to see if it would actually lower my nitrites, but it hasn't done so in an amount that is too noticeable, but my nitrites haven't increased either. I was thinking about purchasing more rock. One pound is actually a bit more than I had expected. I'm not sure if the guy who owned the LFS was just being kind and gave me a little extra, but the chunks I have are pretty decent in size.

My money is already dwindling at a rapid rate, and I just got paid recently too, so I'm trying to find a permanent solution to my dilemma as soon as possible. If I can't find one soon, I'll have to re-home my two GSPs. I can't see them as being happy to live in a bucket, and I can't see them happy living in water full of nitrites.

I'll probably have to take them to a LFS to see they will take them. This worries me, however, since all of the local fish stores do not seem to understand anything about puffers.

I really don't want to give them up because I've put so much effort into them, but I want to be responsible at the same time.

Dr. Tim's is my final solution to this problem. If that does not lower my nitrites, I will give up my puffers.

It doesn't seem appropriate to have puffers if I can't take care of them appropriately.

[Myaj]

Have you taken some water to the store and have them test it? Maybe your nitrite test kit is bad.

[Jivenjune]

Have you taken some water to the store and have them test it? Maybe your nitrite test kit is bad.

Yeah, I've done this also. My water parameters are roughly the same as their tests. I might disassemble my tank one more time and do another thorough cleaning of everything and just wait for Dr. Tim's to arrive in the mail. I'd probably be able to speed this cycling along if I had some pure ammonia, but it's so difficult to find within my area. Everything has surfactants.

[Dadof4]

I'd give it time and more LR before you tear it down. Look for your local reef club to get LR cheaper. What I'm thinking, and I may be wrong (like that's never happened before? ), but I think you are having some very slight die off on the LR you do have that is producing ammonia at a near unreadable amount but the bacteria on the LR is converting it to nitrite and the bacteria that converts to nitrate is now starting to do its job.

The reason I think this is: 1) It's logical, 2) Even though you kept the LR submerged, the creatures that live on the LR are delicate. The mere movement and handling when removing it from the established tank may have done some very slight damage leading to a bit of, and a brief, die off.

[Jivenjune]

I'd give it time and more LR before you tear it down. Look for your local reef club to get LR cheaper. What I'm thinking, and I may be wrong (like that's never happened before? ), but I think you are having some very slight die off on the LR you do have that is producing ammonia at a near unreadable amount but the bacteria on the LR is converting it to nitrite and the bacteria that converts to nitrate is now starting to do its job.

The reason I think this is: 1) It's logical, 2) Even though you kept the LR submerged, the creatures that live on the LR are delicate. The mere movement and handling when removing it from the established tank may have done some very slight damage leading to a bit of, and a brief, die off.

Well, I finally got a protein skimmer. It's an AquaC Remora. I've had it plugged it in for about 30 minutes, and it has removed about half a cup full of gunk. I heard protein skimmers take a little while to get started up, but mine is just unloading foamy stuff left and right. This doesn't seem normal... but this is the first time I've had a protein skimmer.

On Monday, my Dr. Tim's cycling bacteria comes in. If I don't see nitrites lower by then, than I'll start clean with pure RO water and a good mix of salt. I know someone who owns a water shop, so I can get RO water in bulk for free.

I'll probably buy an AquaClear 20, since my current hang over box filter makes me extremely paranoid. I'll probably just keep a couple of bags of purigen in there and some bio rings now that I have my protein skimmer.

I won't be able to buy decent quantities of live rock anytime soon. My next paycheck is in a month, and the funds from my current paycheck have been completely sapped from fish supplies. I'll probably buy some of the fancier stuff when I do.

[LilGreenPuffer]

My money is already dwindling at a rapid rate, and I just got paid recently too, so I'm trying to find a permanent solution to my dilemma as soon as possible. If I can't find one soon, I'll have to re-home my two GSPs. I can't see them as being happy to live in a bucket, and I can't see them happy living in water full of nitrites.

Question - I seem to recall that they're in BW right now, and you're having trouble affording the salt to change the water... Can you acclimate them to FW or low BW and be able to change their water more frequently that way?

[Jivenjune]

My money is already dwindling at a rapid rate, and I just got paid recently too, so I'm trying to find a permanent solution to my dilemma as soon as possible. If I can't find one soon, I'll have to re-home my two GSPs. I can't see them as being happy to live in a bucket, and I can't see them happy living in water full of nitrites.

Question - I seem to recall that they're in BW right now, and you're having trouble affording the salt to change the water... Can you acclimate them to FW or low BW and be able to change their water more frequently that way?

I have them moved back to the 30 gallon in low / med brackish; it's uncycled but I'm watching their water parameters to make sure nothing significant spikes.

I have a couple of clams in the half shell rotting in the main tank to provide a source of ammonia for the bacteria. I wish I could just get my hands on some pure ammonia, but I haven't had any luck in any store I've been to.

Dr. Tim's Na H20 will likely solve this whole entire mess. It'll probably be here on Monday. Until then, I'm gonna keep them in clean water until I can provide them with the appropriate home. It has just been extremely exhausting to go through all of this, but I think they will be fine for the next few days since they've eaten a fair amount recently.

[Dadof4]

I'd give it time and more LR before you tear it down. Look for your local reef club to get LR cheaper. What I'm thinking, and I may be wrong (like that's never happened before? ), but I think you are having some very slight die off on the LR you do have that is producing ammonia at a near unreadable amount but the bacteria on the LR is converting it to nitrite and the bacteria that converts to nitrate is now starting to do its job.

The reason I think this is: 1) It's logical, 2) Even though you kept the LR submerged, the creatures that live on the LR are delicate. The mere movement and handling when removing it from the established tank may have done some very slight damage leading to a bit of, and a brief, die off.

Well, I finally got a protein skimmer. It's an AquaC Remora. I've had it plugged it in for about 30 minutes, and it has removed about half a cup full of gunk. I heard protein skimmers take a little while to get started up, but mine is just unloading foamy stuff left and right. This doesn't seem normal... but this is the first time I've had a protein skimmer.

On Monday, my Dr. Tim's cycling bacteria comes in. If I don't see nitrites lower by then, than I'll start clean with pure RO water and a good mix of salt. I know someone who owns a water shop, so I can get RO water in bulk for free.

I'll probably buy an AquaClear 20, since my current hang over box filter makes me extremely paranoid. I'll probably just keep a couple of bags of purigen in there and some bio rings now that I have my protein skimmer.

I won't be able to buy decent quantities of live rock anytime soon. My next paycheck is in a month, and the funds from my current paycheck have been completely sapped from fish supplies. I'll probably buy some of the fancier stuff when I do.

Now that you have a skimmer running I think you'll see a difference. Don't waste you money on a HOB filter for a SW tank, put that toward LR. Your skimmer will take the place of the HOB, just keep your current one in case you need to run some chemical filtration like Purigen. Also, with LR, at this time I wouldn't waste money on the "fancy" stuff, buy the basic LR, you'll get more of it and you can add the fancier stuff later once the tanks is better established if you don't like the look.

[Jivenjune]

Thanks for the tips everyone.

I found out the cause of the nitrites. I had some ceramic rings for biological filtration in my HOB filter. When I took my filter apart and cleaned the filter, I merely dumped the sack of rings into my 30 gallon quarantine tub that had my GSPs in. I didn't take a good look at the rings. Over night, the nitrites in the tub shot through the roof even with though I had completely filled the quarantine tank with fresh water (and marine salt).

If anyone recalls, I bought some Chaetomorpha awhile back. Well, I didn't have a refugium, so I just dumped the stuff into my tank. My tank was only brackish at this point, so there was some chaeto die off. Bits and pieces were scattered about the tank, and I could never manage to get all of it. Apparently, a significant amount entered into my filter and crammed its way into my bag of ceramic rings where it began to decompose. It turned to a greyish mold / algae sludge which was contaminating my water. Wherever I stuck the bag of rings, my nitrites would skyrocket within extremely short periods of time. Even overdoses of prime were only able to contain it for short periods of time before it would skyrocket.

I don't think I'll buy chaetomorpha again unless I have a HOB refugium to contain it in...

Ugh, all of this because I spent 5 dollars to support a LFS by buying chaeto....