Nitrite help.

Blackzout · 08/18/2013, 09:30 AM

I have a 220 gallon tank with ammonia- 0 nitrite- 1.0 nitrate- 10 and 1.023. i have just added a large angel and was wondering if this could be the problem or what is going on : /. please help

Twistofer · 08/18/2013, 09:35 AM

Sometimes (often even), addition of an animal can cause a spike in nitrite and nitrate. The tank will adjust; however, a water change will help. The nitrate and nitrite are definitely high.

Blackzout · 08/18/2013, 09:40 AM

ok thanks for the quick reply. before we got him everything was fine and i know 1.0 nitrite is toxic to the fish and if it is something i should be really worried about or if it happens all the time and doing water changes would help.

MrTuskfish · 08/18/2013, 10:04 AM

If this is a FOWLR tank, I assume it is with a large angel; nitrate of 10ppm is very low. Nitrate doesn't bother fish at all, at least at levels commonly seen in the hobby. Nitrate of 60ppm or so is very common in FOWLR tanks. There is research that shows that nitrite is basically harmless to SW fish too (deadly for FW fish). But a mature tank won't have any nitrite, give it a few days, do a WC, watch ammonia, and get s 2nd opinion on your nitrite test kit from your LFS.

Blackzout · 08/18/2013, 10:57 AM

ive read some places its bad for them and some places it isn't so i wasn't sure. thanks

MrTuskfish · 08/18/2013, 11:55 AM

The info on nitrate is common knowledge, the nitrite question is still widely misunderstood. (IMO) Here's a piece by a guy who knows SW reefkeeping water issues better than anyone I've ever read. He's changed a couple of my long-held beliefs (and that ain't easy); including getting me to switch from Chemi-Pure to plain GAC; saving me a lot of $$$. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/

Blackzout · 08/18/2013, 12:06 PM

Thanks for the link.

Been reading it and it helped a lot. Definitely makes you think about other stuff you have seen on the web.

SavingOurSeas · 08/18/2013, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrTuskfish

The info on nitrate is common knowledge, the nitrite question is still widely misunderstood. (IMO) Here's a piece by a guy who knows SW reefkeeping water issues better than anyone I've ever read. He's changed a couple of my long-held beliefs (and that ain't easy); including getting me to switch from Chemi-Pure to plain GAC; saving me a lot of $$$. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/

I enjoy those issues quite much, so much usable information!

08/18/2013, 09:30 AM	#1
Blackzout Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 7	Nitrite help. I have a 220 gallon tank with ammonia- 0 nitrite- 1.0 nitrate- 10 and 1.023. i have just added a large angel and was wondering if this could be the problem or what is going on : /. please help

08/18/2013, 09:35 AM	#2
Twistofer Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Montana Posts: 371	Sometimes (often even), addition of an animal can cause a spike in nitrite and nitrate. The tank will adjust; however, a water change will help. The nitrate and nitrite are definitely high. __________________ See what is; See what is not; Find the True Way ...The Buddha Current Tank Info: 120 gal New Build Coming Soon

08/18/2013, 10:04 AM	#4
MrTuskfish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Wild Blue Yonder Posts: 8,887	If this is a FOWLR tank, I assume it is with a large angel; nitrate of 10ppm is very low. Nitrate doesn't bother fish at all, at least at levels commonly seen in the hobby. Nitrate of 60ppm or so is very common in FOWLR tanks. There is research that shows that nitrite is basically harmless to SW fish too (deadly for FW fish). But a mature tank won't have any nitrite, give it a few days, do a WC, watch ammonia, and get s 2nd opinion on your nitrite test kit from your LFS. __________________ If God didn't want us to eat animals, he wouldn't have made them out of meat. Steve Current Tank Info: 180, 2-240 FOWLRs, 240 reef

08/18/2013, 11:55 AM	#6
MrTuskfish Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: The Wild Blue Yonder Posts: 8,887	The info on nitrate is common knowledge, the nitrite question is still widely misunderstood. (IMO) Here's a piece by a guy who knows SW reefkeeping water issues better than anyone I've ever read. He's changed a couple of my long-held beliefs (and that ain't easy); including getting me to switch from Chemi-Pure to plain GAC; saving me a lot of $$$. http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/ __________________ If God didn't want us to eat animals, he wouldn't have made them out of meat. Steve Current Tank Info: 180, 2-240 FOWLRs, 240 reef

08/18/2013, 09:40 AM	#3
Blackzout Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 7	ok thanks for the quick reply. before we got him everything was fine and i know 1.0 nitrite is toxic to the fish and if it is something i should be really worried about or if it happens all the time and doing water changes would help.

08/18/2013, 10:57 AM	#5
Blackzout Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 7	ive read some places its bad for them and some places it isn't so i wasn't sure. thanks

08/18/2013, 12:06 PM	#7
Blackzout Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 7	Thanks for the link. Been reading it and it helped a lot. Definitely makes you think about other stuff you have seen on the web.