Nitrite?????

[tattooeryan]

my tank has been cycling for almost two weeks now (11 days to be exact) my ammonia is at zero (has been for the past 4 days) , but the nitrite hasn't budged at all (up or down). is this normal? if so, when should i expect it to start dropping? I have a 24 gallon tank with a 3'' bed if live sand and about 19 pounds of live rock. Thanks for the help!

[RedfordReefer]

From what I've read, 3" is a no-no. It's enough to trap nitrites and nitrates, but not enough to be a Deep sand bed. Either push it to 5-6 inches, or lower it to an inch or so.

I am sure the experts will correct me if I am wrong.

[Sir Patrick]

3" is fine, with the right maintanace on the bed.

Ryan- you wont see any nitrits till ya see amonia, unless you are cycling with some really well established live rock in the system.

Ae you seeing zeros across the board? Amonia, nitrite, and nitrate? 11 days is still pretty soon to see anything on a test kit w/o some really nasty stuff breaking down in the tank.

Looking forward to helping- will wait for more info!

[tattooeryan]

I watched the ammonia drop down to zero over a few days, but the nitrites have stayed the same the whole time. I've read quite a bit before starting, and from what i've read, the nitrites should be raising as the ammonia drops, then dropping themselfs. right?

[Sir Patrick]

That is correct.

[tattooeryan]

i also have quite a bit of brownish alge growing on the live rock. i cut the lights down to 4 hours a day and it has slowed dramaticaly. The live rock had a small amount of coraline alge when i bought it.

[Sir Patrick]

How old is the nitrite test? What brand is it? API?

[Sir Patrick]

The brown algea is probly a biotom bloom. Very normal for a cycle.

[tattooeryan]

yup, it is. I'm not sure on how old it is? the color has stayed EXACTLY the same since i started testing

[Sir Patrick]

In my experiance- a expired test kit, from api, ot 2 little fishies, will show a constantly same test on different parameters. Somtimes api is good, and others bad- even when not expired....if you are reading the same, when you really should not, I would think its a bad test kit.

Any chance to get the test cross examined w/ a different test? Possibly at a freinds, ot local fish store?

You seeing nitrates yet?

[tazzy695]

are you seeing any nitrates nitrites don't always show up and are actually harmless in a salt tank unless they get to extreme levels as the salt neutralizes it's toxicity

[tattooeryan]

I'll pick up a different test kit. thanks for the input guys. I really appreciate it! I have to take off but i'll be back on here tomorow.

[Sir Patrick]

see ya tomorow then!

[tazzy695]

no problem

[iyachtuxivm]

In my experiances diatoms ( the brown algae) is the signal of the end of the cycle. Now that I have said that take a water sample to get checked at a lfs to double check your readings.

[tattooeryan]

I'm planning on taking a sample to to my lfs tomorrow. I also picked up a new test kit for nitrites and nitrates (diping paper type). I'm going to check it tonight when i get off work. Everything should be good. I also picked up some ''purple up'' and put a lawnmower blenny on hold for the alge! Thanks again for all the help! I'll keep you posted and i'll also try to get some pics of my tank up for you guys to check out! I only have a computer at work and today is my friday (sun and mon off). I'll be here till 10pm today though, so if you have any more input i'd really appreciate it!

[Sir Patrick]

Dipping paper test strips.....I wouldnt open them, and I would take them back. They are very unreliable. Before I knew better I used them. They just gave me the same results test after test- no matter what was going on in my tank. Always said everything was where it needed to be- but my tank in reality was a terrible mess as far as parameters go.


Purple up....another one not to open, and take back. If you read the directions and recomendations on the bottle, it describes exactly what you need to do to grow coraline- with the addition of purple up or not! The purple up is an unesasary part of the equation.

As far as reasonaly cheep test kits, that are usually pretty easy to find- I would recomend salifert test kits.

Your local fish store didnt recomend these to you did they??? I hope not...

[tattooeryan]

haha! ok thanks! I'll take my junk back tomorrow. I actually did notice what you said about the purple up, but thought i'd give it a try anyways. Patience prevails huh! Yeah, i
'm slowly begining not to trust my lfs!

[tattooeryan]

what's the best way to go about accurately testing my water? I want to know how to do it right, i'd rather pay more for quality.

[Sir Patrick]

For your 3 basic- amonia, nitrite, and nitrate- I would go ahead with Salifert tests.

[tattooeryan]

coo! thanks!

[iyachtuxivm]

Salfert is good I use API never had an issue. I usually get my water tested at my lfs and its usually spot on with my API tests. ( never hurts to double check though)