Salinity and nitrites too high, best course of action?

seecrabrun

seecrabrun

Active Member
Finally got my hydrometer and test strips and my readings are:

1.030
nitrate- higher level of ok
nitrite- danger
alkalinity and pH acceptable

how do I balance this without shocking my guys?
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
First of all I would insure the specific gravity is correct by calibrating the equipment.
If that is correct at 1.030 then just do a series of small water changes over days to bring it down to 1.025 or so.
On the nitrites simply stop adding food until they drop down. Once the start droping (which in one extreme case in my experience took a week or two) they drop very rapidily. Like to unmeasurable in a couple of days.
I also like to use macro algae to balance out and stabilize the tank. Which would help also.
my .02
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
Oh yea
BTW what exactly are your kH and pH levels.
Be sure to measure pH just before lights out due to algae effects. lighted algae raised pH throughout that day and pH drops under light out.
my .02
 
seecrabrun

seecrabrun

Active Member
I have a 10 gallon tank and am just starting on a budget, so I got the swing arm hydrometer.

I've added what fresh water I had on hand to the tank and plugged in another filter. I don't have live rock or anything in there yet.

I'm testing again now and will repost the results.
 
seecrabrun

seecrabrun

Active Member
yes it is new. I accidentally brought a marine crab home from florida and did an emergency tank set up. 2 weeks after that I got a damsel and another crab. That was almost 3 weeks ago that I brought the fish home.

Totally doing this backwards so yeah everything is new and I wasn't able to research any at all before getting into it.
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
Actually your swing arm is probably accurate as long as it is free and clean.
the crab will probably eat the macros. Hence a partition to keep it away for the macros would be a good idea.
You could try a molly to cycle the tank. Much better to lose a $2 molly then more expensive fish.
Try the macro algaes. You'll be amazed.
Psssst wanna know a dirty little secret? IMHO it is actually the algae on the live rock that makes it work. so I just use landscape type rocks. LOL
my .02
 
trigger40

trigger40

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SeeCrabRun http:///t/397783/salinity-and-nitrites-too-high-best-course-of-action#post_3546780
yes it is new. I accidentally brought a marine crab home from florida and did an emergency tank set up. 2 weeks after that I got a damsel and another crab. That was almost 3 weeks ago that I brought the fish home.

Totally doing this backwards so yeah everything is new and I wasn't able to research any at all before getting into it.
do you have any live rock? and that crab you brought hame are mean. and those hermits get really big so be prepared for that.
 
seecrabrun

seecrabrun

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by trigger40 http:///t/397783/salinity-and-nitrites-too-high-best-course-of-action#post_3546785
do you have any live rock? and that crab you brought hame are mean. and those hermits get really big so be prepared for that.
I'm curing some live rock in another container currently. I'm worried I've killed it though. I could use advice on that. It has gone white in a lot of areas. I've been scrubbing it with a brush and changing the water every 4 days for almost 3 weeks now.

And yes I know a lot about these guys now. Thinstriped hermits that are actually a little more brackish than not and can get up to 6". I'm cool with that. Better than letting him die for my mistake.

I don't plan on building the tank much past what it is. Eventually I'll get a larger one, maybe more live rock, but I also know my damsel is a pretty mean fish as well. I never thought I'd get into saltwater fish, but here I am trying to make it work.
 
trigger40

trigger40

Well-Known Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SeeCrabRun http:///t/397783/salinity-and-nitrites-too-high-best-course-of-action#post_3546786
I'm curing some live rock in another container currently. I'm worried I've killed it though. I could use advice on that. It has gone white in a lot of areas. I've been scrubbing it with a brush and changing the water every 4 days for almost 3 weeks now.

And yes I know a lot about these guys now. Thinstriped hermits that are actually a little more brackish than not and can get up to 6". I'm cool with that. Better than letting him die for my mistake.

I don't plan on building the tank much past what it is. Eventually I'll get a larger one, maybe more live rock, but I also know my damsel is a pretty mean fish as well. I never thought I'd get into saltwater fish, but here I am trying to make it work.
well im glad to see that your taking it on. it really is a wonderfull hobby. as for the rock i would go to your lfs and buy a peice of live rock for the time being. it will do wonders to your water quality it will also add diversity of life to the rock you are curently preparing. what do you have as far as equipment goes?
 
seecrabrun

seecrabrun

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by trigger40 http:///t/397783/salinity-and-nitrites-too-high-best-course-of-action#post_3546789
well im glad to see that your taking it on. it really is a wonderfull hobby. as for the rock i would go to your lfs and buy a peice of live rock for the time being. it will do wonders to your water quality it will also add diversity of life to the rock you are curently preparing. what do you have as far as equipment goes?
I don't have a LFS actually. I have to drive an hour for anything more than walmart carries.

I bought some live rock from the marine fish store I drove to and have been curing it. I wonder if it is safe to put in now?
 
silverado61

silverado61

Well-Known Member
How long have you been curing it and has it gone through it's own mini cycle?

Die off from curing rock causes it's own ammonia-nitrite-nitrate cycle. Just like your display when you first cycle it.

Test the water the rock is in for ammonia. If it's zero, then test for nitrites. If that's zero, test it for nitrates. If that's below 40 then yes, the rock should be ready to move.
 
tur4k

tur4k

Member
Make sure that there are no micro-bubbles on the swing arm of that hydrometer. Bubbles can throw the readings way off. Even a few tiny bubbles. I really recommend replacing it with something not made of plastic. Preferably a decent refractometer.

The best course of action for most water quality issues is a water change. You can add stuff to neutralize ammonia in emergencies, but in most cases a water change is going to help. Just remember that very large water changes can cause dangerous swings in temperature and PH. I wouldn't go above 40% and I would try to get the temperature and PH as close as possible for very large water changes.
 
seecrabrun

seecrabrun

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by silverado61 http:///t/397783/salinity-and-nitrites-too-high-best-course-of-action#post_3546838
How long have you been curing it and has it gone through it's own mini cycle?

Die off from curing rock causes it's own ammonia-nitrite-nitrate cycle. Just like your display when you first cycle it.

Test the water the rock is in for ammonia. If it's zero, then test for nitrites. If that's zero, test it for nitrates. If that's below 40 then yes, the rock should be ready to move.
It was curing 3 weeks when I put it in. I put it in the day I said I would. Went a little MIA after that post. The water is testing lower and lower by the day on the nitrates and nitrites. kH and pH are still testing good. I'm doing small water changes and testing the salinity after each. It is now down to 1.025 after almost 2 gallons of fresh water slowly added over a 3 day period.


I don't have a dedicated ammonia test yet. I got a 6 in 1 strip that has NO3, NO2, KH, pH, and then GH and chlorine for freshwater.
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Hi,

Water quality is the very life of the fish tank... budget or not, strip tests will not do. I only read through a few posts so I don't know if anyone has mentioned that. An ammonia strip test is fine, any reading equals do a water change...but the others...you need the exact numbers not a strip that says "safe" zone. Until the tank has cycled, the other readings do not matter, they will be all over the place.
 
seecrabrun

seecrabrun

Active Member
I was just saying today I hate the strips but aything else will have to wait a couple weeks. I've been testing daily with them and they were in the danger zone originally and now they are closer to safe.
Very first test

Today's test
 
silverado61

silverado61

Well-Known Member
Just to be safe, even if the strips say its OK, don't take any chances until you get the test kit. Make sure its a marine test kit.
 
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