NITRITES and inverts

[rmorris_14]

Me again. How dangerous are Nitrites to inverts? I have a fishless 13.5 gallon tank that is less than a month old. Currently going through what I think it a bacteria bloom. I was planning on doing my weekly water change tonight. Maybe around 3 gallons. Tested my water tonight
Salinity 1.025
Ph 7.8 or less (hard to tell)
Ammonia between 0 and .25
Nitrites maybe around 2.00
Nitrates around 40ppm
See attached picture to check my eyes.
* yes I know it’s API. Yes I know they aren’t super accurate but it is what I have. I plan on purchasing Saliferts next time around.

the water started being a little cloudy last night. I kept the lights off today until I got home. I read mostly likely time will clear it up. (Which I’m fine waiting ) I know my ph is low so I added a aerator to the water until the potential bacteria bloom goes away so there is plenty of oxygen.
I guess I just don’t know at what level I should be concerned about the Nitrites. I read to do a water change but then I also read that doing a water change can slow down the cycling of the tank. A little confused at this point. Open to suggestions

 

[Lasse]

What living things do you have in your tank? Do you add anything to your tank, Organic carbon, bacteria mixture, start products or what ever. Normally you not need to worry about the toxic effects of nitrite but this and your cloudy water indicates that it is something going on. Your high Nitrate readings can be of cause off your high nitrite levels. Do you feed anything?

Sincerely Lasse

 

[damsels are not mean]

What's the rush?

 

[rmorris_14]

What living things do you have in your tank? Do you add anything to your tank, Organic carbon, bacteria mixture, start products or what ever. Normally you not need to worry about the toxic effects of nitrite but this and your cloudy water indicates that it is something going on. Your high Nitrate readings can be of cause off your high nitrite levels. Do you feed anything?

Sincerely Lasse

I have 5 turbo snails, about 6 blue leg hermits and 5 nassarious snails quarantining in this tank for 45 days before I add to my DT tank. I started the tank with live sand, media from DT, bactiv 8 and then some dosing of fritz zyme 9. I feed the snails nori 1/2 inch squares twice a day and the hermits and nassarious snails frozen reef frenzie about every other day. I don’t dose anything else. I’ve been doing 5 gallon water changes once a week since start up but I’m wondering if that is too much to let it cycle properly. I’m not worried about the nitrates. I know I can get those down once the biolad on the tank decreases when I move some over and I don’t think they pose a health risk. If anything the nitrates will help some algae grow so I don’t have to supplement a food source. I’m more worried if the high nitrites have any health ramification on the inverts until they drop down. I don’t want to prolong the natural course of the cycle by Doing Water changes if that’s a thing. Just not sure

 

[rmorris_14]

Do you think running a little extra carbon would help with the bloom or is that not how it works?

 

[Lasse]

IMO - your problem is not high nitrites - its the cloudy water. Probably caused of overfeeding in a attempt to not starve to death the cleaning patrol. I normally not feed my CUC in the start - light and saltwater use to be enough to get algae growing for them. Especially if you start with live rocks. Please see here. If you should do more WC or not is a question that only you can answer. You must validate if the if the advantage (get rid of contaminated water) of the water exchange exceeds the disadvantage (a possible very low reduction of the nitrification)

Do you think running a little extra carbon would help with the bloom or is that not how it works?

If you with "running a little extra carbon" means that you add organic carbon (NoPoX, vodka, vinegar or what ever) - you SHOULD NOT do that if you have a bloom. If you mean to use more active Carbon - it will IMO not make any difference

Sincerely Lasse

 

[rmorris_14]

IMO - your problem is not high nitrites - its the cloudy water. Probably caused of overfeeding in a attempt to not starve to death the cleaning patrol. I normally not feed my CUC in the start - light and saltwater use to be enough to get algae growing for them. Especially if you start with live rocks. Please see here. If you should do more WC or not is a question that only you can answer. You must validate if the if the advantage (get rid of contaminated water) of the water exchange exceeds the disadvantage (a possible very low reduction of the nitrification)



If you with "running a little extra carbon" means that you add organic carbon (NoPoX, vodka, vinegar or what ever) - you SHOULD NOT do that if you have a bloom. If you mean to use more active Carbon - it will IMO not make any difference

Sincerely Lasse

Thanks so much!

 

[Current Tides]

I have 5 turbo snails, about 6 blue leg hermits and 5 nassarious snails quarantining in this tank for 45 days before I add to my DT tank. I started the tank with live sand, media from DT, bactiv 8 and then some dosing of fritz zyme 9. I feed the snails nori 1/2 inch squares twice a day and the hermits and nassarious snails frozen reef frenzie about every other day. I don’t dose anything else. I’ve been doing 5 gallon water changes once a week since start up but I’m wondering if that is too much to let it cycle properly. I’m not worried about the nitrates. I know I can get those down once the biolad on the tank decreases when I move some over and I don’t think they pose a health risk. If anything the nitrates will help some algae grow so I don’t have to supplement a food source. I’m more worried if the high nitrites have any health ramification on the inverts until they drop down. I don’t want to prolong the natural course of the cycle by Doing Water changes if that’s a thing. Just not sure

best thing to do for a bacterial bloom is water changes and time. Ive had this happen on a number of newer tanks, and usually do 50% or so replacements every 2-4days. be careful about feeding especially now. carbon will help to remove the nutrients a bit too, so may be good to run it, but def not needed.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

For additional info on toxicity of nitrite to organisms, and lack thereof in marine systems, I show data here:

Nitrite and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

 

[rmorris_14]

For additional info on toxicity of nitrite to organisms, and lack thereof in marine systems, I show data here:

Nitrite and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

Thank you!

 

[rmorris_14]

For additional info on toxicity of nitrite to organisms, and lack thereof in marine systems, I show data here:

Nitrite and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

So from reading this it doesnt seem that nitrites will be harmful to my livestock (snails and hermits) unless they are crazy higher. From what I have come across in my searches it doesn’t seem that the bacteria bloom is harmful either as long as I make sure there is plenty of oxygen in the water and watch for a potential ammonia spike to follow.. is that correct?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

So from reading this it doesnt seem that nitrites will be harmful to my livestock (snails and hermits) unless they are crazy higher. From what I have come across in my searches it doesn’t seem that the bacteria bloom is harmful either as long as I make sure there is plenty of oxygen in the water and watch for a potential ammonia spike to follow.. is that correct?

Certainly the nitrite part is correct. On the bloom, it can depend on what it is. Red tide comes to mind as a bloom more harmful than O2 reduction.