Strange Nitrite issue

[jeff567]

So I have many years of freshwater experience, but decided to take the plunge into saltwater a month ago. I have a 29g with a magnum 350 canister filter. I received about 40lbs of live rock, but it was infested so I bleached it and started fresh. Currently I have 2 damsels and 2 turbo snails.

Now my problem is that my nitrites are off the charts. I have 0 ammonia and nitrates are holding around 5ppm. It has been this way from the beginning. I did nearly a 90% water change and added a damsel. the nitrites within a day were off the charts again. I used Prime and a nitrifying bacteria called biozyme, and added another damsel and 2 turbo snails, as a brown algea was covering everything. At the risk of my inhabitants, I did another massive water change this past weekend, but again within a day the nitrites climbed off the charts. Ammonia and Nitrates are right were they are supposed to be though. On a side note, there is not an ounce of algea in my tank right now. I have also tried a few different nitrite tests to rule out a faulty test.

Does anyone have any idea what could possibly give me readings like this. I would understand that I am still cycling if I had some measurable ammonia readings, but the biozyme seems to have worked well in that department, other than the fact that nitrites are rediculous.

I should also mention that there is ZERO signs of stress to the fish. No labored breathing, they are very active. The snails did not like the water change, but even they are cruising around looking for algea that has disappeared from my tank. The damsels are fed once a day, and only a flake or 2 so as not to add overfeeding to my possibilities.

Any theories at this point would be greatly appreciated.

[gbru316]

Nitrite isn't nearly as toxic to marine life as it is to freshwater. The LC50 for an ocellaris clownfish is around 300 ppm. Very doubtful you'll ever get that high, even during cycle.

FWIW, it took 6 weeks for nitrite to drop in the tank I recently established. My nitrite spiked off the chart (> 5 ppm), then remained there for almost 2 weeks. At the 6 week mark, nitrite was 0, and nitrate was 80 ppm.

Unless you've seen a significant spike in nitrate, your cycle isn't complete. Stop adding things and let nature take it's course. Only intervene if you notice tank inhabitants start to suffer.

[Pittsburgh]

apart from a possibly bad test kit... I wonder if you just don't have the nitrifying bacteria in tank? I believe that it can't just appear from nowhere, it has to be brought in, on a seed rock or something. Since you bleached all of your LR, there is just no bacteria there at all to take care of your nitrites. Get a small piece of LR from your LFS or get a small bottle of zeobak and get the cycle going that way.

Since your ammonia is at zero, the ammonia consuming bacteria is there, but the nitrifying bacteria is not. The 5ppm nitrates is probably introduced with tap water and not the result of the cycle.

[gbru316]

apart from a possibly bad test kit... I wonder if you just don't have the nitrifying bacteria in tank? I believe that it can't just appear from nowhere, it has to be brought in, on a seed rock or something. Since you bleached all of your LR, there is just no bacteria there at all to take care of your nitrites. Get a small piece of LR from your LFS or get a small bottle of zeobak and get the cycle going that way.

Since your ammonia is at zero, the ammonia consuming bacteria is there, but the nitrifying bacteria is not. The 5ppm nitrates is probably introduced with tap water and not the result of the cycle.

he dosed prime and biozyme :rollface:

[jeff567]

he dosed prime and biozyme :rollface:

Thank you, I wanted to say something but didnt want to sound like an ungrateful jerk.