Nitrite reduction

[slider101]

Okay, I am into week 3 1/2 of cycling. My PH is around 8.0-8.2, ammonia is at 0, Nitrate is at 20, and Nitrites are at 1.0. I have Diatoms all over my tank. I have been using tap water to fill but yesterday I vacuumed the bottom of my tank to remove some of the Diatoms and added 5 gals of fresh bottled water and ocenic salt. What else can I do to lower the nitrites since that is all that is holding me up now. I am using the API Saltwater Master kit and the Nitrites were a real dark purple color and now they are a lighter shade but still taking a long time. This is a 55 gal with 50 lbs of live rock and crushed coral substrate, bio wheel and protein skimmer.

 

[crashjt]

I think I would start with a real water change like 15-20gal. 5 gal. is nothing to a 55 its not going to dilute much at all

 

[subielover]

What is your specific gravity, and how are you testing for it?

 

[slider101]

Originally Posted by subielover
http:///forum/post/2868470
What is your specific gravity, and how are you testing for it?
My spec grav is around 1.02 and 1.03. I am using a hydrometer.

 

[slider101]

Originally Posted by CRASHJT
http:///forum/post/2868461
I think I would start with a real water change like 15-20gal. 5 gal. is nothing to a 55 its not going to dilute much at all
I would do a bigger water change but I was not sure if I was suppost to do it now, or wait till the tank cycled. I guess I didn't understand if I was suppost to wait or not.

 

[natclanwy]

You want do water changes regularly through the cycle and then another large water change after the cycle is complete. The water changes during the cycle are supposed to keep the ammonia and nitrite from spiking too high to keep the die off on the LR to a minimum. I would do a 20g water change now and then give it a couple more weeks and see where you are at.

 

[culp]

Originally Posted by slider101
http:///forum/post/2868724
I would do a bigger water change but I was not sure if I was suppost to do it now, or wait till the tank cycled. I guess I didn't understand if I was suppost to wait or not.
i had the same problem where i didn't know when to do the first water chance. so i went the first month with out doing a water change.

 

[john57]

I was told to do water changes once a week throughout the cycle and a larger change at the end. I'm in my fifth day and the ammonia has been so off the charts that I've done two changes already. I guess this does not lengthen the cycle to any extent. And it hopefully saves a few more things on your LR.

 

[natclanwy]

Nope it won't lengthen the cycle, the bacteria that you are waiting on colonizes all the surfaces of your aquarium and LR, so changing the water doesn't effect the bacteria population. There is some that is present in the water column but not a significant portion.

 

[kane4fire]

Why is it then that everything I have read online to date has told me to not do any water changes until after the cycle is either complete or nearing completion? It seems to make sense to not change it since the bacteria need food (though too high of an ammonia level will kill them off anyways) and allowing enough of it to be there allows them to grow fast enough to reduce the time of the cycle.
I'm curious to know other experienced persons thoughts on this. I am pretty sure it even says on the FAQ on this site to not do a water change until after the cycle has completed.

 

[m0nk]

Originally Posted by kane4fire
http:///forum/post/2869058
Why is it then that everything I have read online to date has told me to not do any water changes until after the cycle is either complete or nearing completion? It seems to make sense to not change it since the bacteria need food (though too high of an ammonia level will kill them off anyways) and allowing enough of it to be there allows them to grow fast enough to reduce the time of the cycle.
I'm curious to know other experienced persons thoughts on this. I am pretty sure it even says on the FAQ on this site to not do a water change until after the cycle has completed.
This is one of those points that's debated off and on. I personally would do water changes when cycling with live rock if ammonia hits 1.0ppm simply because any living critter in/on the live rock will start to die off around that point and the whole reason for spending the money on live rock is to keep the hitchhikers.
Nitrites can't be reduced with water changes as effective as nitrate simply because whatever caused the nitrite to show up (the breakdown of the ammonia) needs to run it's course. You could still do a water change, but the cycle won't be complete until the nitrite completely breaks down itself.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by slider101
http:///forum/post/2868721
My spec grav is around 1.02 and 1.03. I am using a hydrometer.
Am I reading this right? 1.02-1.03? That is impossible. It cannot read both 1.020 and 1.030.
Originally Posted by slider101
http:///forum/post/2868438
I have been using tap water to fill but yesterday I vacuumed the bottom of my tank to remove some of the Diatoms and added 5 gals of fresh bottled water and ocenic salt. What else can I do to lower the nitrites since that is all that is holding me up now. I am using the API Saltwater Master kit and the Nitrites were a real dark purple color and now they are a lighter shade but still taking a long time. This is a 55 gal with 50 lbs of live rock and crushed coral substrate, bio wheel and protein skimmer.
You have to pre mix your saltwater. You cannot just add fresh water then dump salt into your tank. I understand that you are cycling, but please don't do this anymore.
How did you cycle your tank? It must have had a lot of ammonia for the nitrites to still be there when you already have nitrate. That means that some of the original ammonia has gone through the cycle but some is still in the nitrite stage. Be patient, let the nitrite cycle through.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by m0nk
http:///forum/post/2869068
This is one of those points that's debated off and on. I personally would do water changes when cycling with live rock if ammonia hits 1.0ppm simply because any living critter in/on the live rock will start to die off around that point and the whole reason for spending the money on live rock is to keep the hitchhikers.
I most definitely agree here

 

[rotarymagic]

I generally do everything wrong, but for me a good way to cycle a tank VERY quickly.. is to use all cured rock none of that nasty stinky stuff.. and buy ALOT of established sand.. lay the sand down add some water... add the rock fill it the rest of the way. run the pumps, keep the skimmer off.. QUICK CYCLE!!!
I got my diatom bloom on my 15gallon in 6days doing this.. 7lbs established sand, 3lbs new out of the bag. Lots of cured rock etc.. Remember I added sand, rock, and new water on the 1st. On the 7th the nitrates spiked, on the 8th they were zero and my turf scrubber screen is almost filled now with brown slime.. amazing.
Haven't changed water yet... there's still alot of nutrients I think to be had for the rock right now so I don't want to get rid of any of it for about another week then I'll change like 3 gallons. I have my calcium and alk cranked with some coralline seeding rock and I'm already seeing pink on the other rocks.

 

[slider101]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
http:///forum/post/2869075
Am I reading this right? 1.02-1.03? That is impossible. It cannot read both 1.020 and 1.030.
You have to pre mix your saltwater. You cannot just add fresh water then dump salt into your tank. I understand that you are cycling, but please don't do this anymore.
How did you cycle your tank? It must have had a lot of ammonia for the nitrites to still be there when you already have nitrate. That means that some of the original ammonia has gone through the cycle but some is still in the nitrite stage. Be patient, let the nitrite cycle through.

I have a floating hydrometer and it is in the green area for the salinity. I always premix all my salt and water before adding it to the tank. My ammonia level never reached any higher than .50 when I started testing it. The tank probably ran for about a week to a week and a half before I tested it for the first time.

 

[slider101]

OK! I think I may have cycled finally!!! I have Nitrates at 20, Nitrites at 0 finally!, and my ammonia is reading between 0 and .25, the color is really in between on the test kit of the 0 and .25. Am I ready to put in my clean up crew and get some living things in there now?

 

[natclanwy]

I would give it a few more days, you really want your ammonia to be at zero, very low amounts of ammonia are toxic to your livestock, plus as soon as you add a fish your bioload will increase and if there is not enough bacteria to process the waste you have in an empty tank it definetly won't handle a fish.