Help!!! Nitrites never go down after 4 months! I think my cycle is busted!!!

[digitalfishes]

Help!!! Nitrites never go down after 4 months! I think my cycle is busted!!!:(:headwally:

My ammonia has been 0 for almost 2 months but nitrites stay really high 5.0!!!

I have a 90 gallon uniquarium. 80 to 100 lbs. of live rock. 3 inch deep sandbed.

2 false percula clowns
2 firefish
1 green chromis
1 neon goby
1 pearly jawfish
1 royal gramma

They all seem fine and I got them over the course of the last couple of months because I thought my tank already cycled.

Apparently not, cause my nitrites are high and seem to get higher. I have been doing 30% water changes weekly for the past month and a half.

All the fish seem to be okay so far. I am worried though. I think something happened to my cylcle.

[cderleth84]

If you started adding fish before your cycle was complete and then continued to add more fish in the coming weeks your beneficial bacteria might have never gotten the chance to catch up and then by you doing these water changes to lower the nitrites you may have continued to postpone the completion of the entire cycle. I know this because I did the same thing on my first setup. Once I took out all my livestock (donated it to my LFS) the tank cleared up literally within a couple of days. You should try and get all the livestock out of there as soon as possible if not to let the cycle complete at least so the fish aren't being harmed by high nitrites.

[cderleth84]

Sorry but upon closer inspection of your post I realized you said you have a uniquarium. I'm not familiar with those exactly but I've had a nano cube and they seem to be the same concept with the built in filtration. When I had my nano my nitrates ended up going through the roof and I couldn't figure out why. I ended up taking out all that filter media out of the back and my levels went back down. I cleaned the filter media and put it back in just to help keep the water clear but from then on I would clean the media about once a month...those things can really create nitrate problems. Also just to clarify in your first post you said you had high nitrites. I just wanted to make sure you didn't mean nitrates.

[RandoReefer]

What test kit are you using?

Possible you could be conducting the test wrong, could be a bad kit, etc.

Have you taken a sample of water to your local LFS to have them test it?

Have you bought another test kit, or different brand to verify your findings?

[Paul B]

Oh, I thought you were talking about nitrates, sorry

[gbru316]

It takes something like 350 ppm of nitrite to kill a clownfish. Nitrite isn't a huge danger to saltwater fish.

That being said, they SHOULD be 0.

Retest with another kit. If the high reading verifies, you might try dosing bacteria.

[digitalfishes]

Sorry but upon closer inspection of your post I realized you said you have a uniquarium. I'm not familiar with those exactly but I've had a nano cube and they seem to be the same concept with the built in filtration. When I had my nano my nitrates ended up going through the roof and I couldn't figure out why. I ended up taking out all that filter media out of the back and my levels went back down. I cleaned the filter media and put it back in just to help keep the water clear but from then on I would clean the media about once a month...those things can really create nitrate problems. Also just to clarify in your first post you said you had high nitrites. I just wanted to make sure you didn't mean nitrates.


Nitrites are 5.0
Nitrites 40

I'm more concerned about the Nitrites

[gbru316]

Nitrites are 5.0
Nitrites 40

I'm more concerned about the Nitrites

Nitrite in the Reef Aquarium (http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/)

I'd be more concerned about the No3. When that 5 ppm is converted to No3, your No3 levels will be even higher. This will cause more algae and more stress (on both you and your tank) than 5 ppm of No2.

[digitalfishes]

What test kit are you using?

Possible you could be conducting the test wrong, could be a bad kit, etc.

Have you taken a sample of water to your local LFS to have them test it?

Have you bought another test kit, or different brand to verify your findings?

I'm using API master test kit.

I tried 2 different tests. Both API master test and also API test strips.

I'll test a fresh batch of seawater to compare and post results.

[Calappidae]

Actually, a complete water change will get rid of nitrites... 20% or what ever won't do the trick. I would get it over with and do a 50% every day or two until it drops down.

[gbru316]

Actually, a complete water change will get rid of nitrites... 20% or what ever won't do the trick. I would get it over with and do a 50% every day or two until it drops down.

Nitrite isn't an issue in a marine aquarium...

[brandon429]

whats cool about this tank is there actually is no nitrites, they are zero.

[Calappidae]

Nitrite isn't an issue in a marine aquarium...

High nitrites are indeed an issue much like higher contents of nitrate and any traces of ammonia are aviable.

[gbru316]

High nitrites are indeed an issue much like higher contents of nitrate and any traces of ammonia are aviable.

Nitrite is only an issue at ranges higher than our test kits measure. As in, 85-100 ppm+. 5 ppm isn't a reason to be terribly concerned. Certainly not a reason to completely replace the volume of water in the tank.

Don't take my word for it, read Randy's article, I posted a link a few posts up.

Personally, I've never bothered to measure it.

[Calappidae]

Nitrite is only an issue at ranges higher than our test kits measure. As in, 85-100 ppm+. 5 ppm isn't a reason to be terribly concerned. Certainly not a reason to completely replace the volume of water in the tank.

Don't take my word for it, read Randy's article, I posted a link a few posts up.

Personally, I've never bothered to measure it.

Your right, its not something to be AS concerned about. If there is a trace of something that shouldn't be in there then it should be gone. I've always read ammonia and nitrite has to stay at 0... while nitrate could safely raise to 40ppm in FOWLR tanks. Sensitive invertebrates and corals cannot tolerate traces of nitrate and nitrite like fish would.

[gbru316]

Your right, its not something to be AS concerned about. If there is a trace of something that shouldn't be in there then it should be gone. I've always read ammonia and nitrite has to stay at 0... while nitrate could safely raise to 40ppm in FOWLR tanks. Sensitive invertebrates and corals cannot tolerate traces of nitrate and nitrite like fish would.

Actually, most inverts can tolerate quite a bit of nitrite. To be honest, there's traces of all sorts of things that "shouldn't" be in our tanks, in our tanks.

Please, if you haven't done so, read the link.

The fact that there is nitrate present means that the nitrate cycle is working. Nitrite is being converted to nitrate. By trying all kinds of "fixes" to reduce a current non-issue, the "issue" could end up being prolonged. Years ago, I decided to try to stay on top of nitrate. As soon as it showed up, I attempted to keep it below 5. My cycle ended up lasting over 4 months, and I learned my lesson.

This is a hobby of patience, above all else. My advice to the OP: stop with the frequent water changes, monitor, and if that fails, dose some bacteria. Wait it out, everything will be fine.

[Calappidae]

Actually, most inverts can tolerate quite a bit of nitrite.

Please, if you haven't done so, read the link.

The fact that there is nitrate present means that the nitrate cycle is working. Nitrite is being converted to nitrate. By trying all kinds of "fixes" to reduce a current non-issue, the "issue" could end up being prolonged.

This is a hobby of patience, above all else. My advice to the OP: stop with the frequent water changes, monitor, and if that fails, dose some bacteria. Wait it out, everything will be fine.
I have read it.

Thats the problem.. if there are nitrates that does mean the cycle is working but its at a pause with the nitrites as those should be nitrates..

4 months of nitrites not turning into nitrates isn't exactly a good sign... Either over feeding or over stock or something is wrong.

[gbru316]

I have read it.

Thats the problem.. if there are nitrates that does mean the cycle is working but its at a pause with the nitrites as those should be nitrates..

And they will be if you stop messing with it. He's been messing with the tank on a regular basis since week 2 of his cycle.

I had a similar thing occur years ago when I first started out. It didn't get fixed until I left it alone.

[Calappidae]

And they will be if you stop messing with it. He's been messing with the tank on a regular basis since week 2 of his cycle.

I had a similar thing occur years ago when I first started out. It didn't get fixed until I left it alone.

Still, he doesn't have much in the tank. Over feeding might be the issue here as I don't see anything wrong with his setup.

[gbru316]

My question to HIM is how often does he do a water change as if he did them on a regular basis there shouldn't be that much nitrates built up. What does he have in the tank, what filteration, and such as those all contribute.

Check the first post. He's been doing 30% weekly changes since week 2 of his cycle. His tank has never had time to stabilize.

[Calappidae]

Check the first post. He's been doing 30% weekly changes since week 2 of his cycle. His tank has never had time to stabilize.

Actually my bad.. I just edited that post as I completely forgot he mentioned his setup.

New post I wrote: Still, he doesn't have much in the tank. Over feeding might be the issue here as I don't see anything wrong with his setup.

[brandon429]

the test kit is wrong

its been 4 months with a full fish bioload and no antibiotics have been dosed.

ergo, nitrites are at zero. try to imagine never caring about nitrites and them never having been an issue in this tank...thats what just happened.
the bacteria have built up to levels independent of bacterial dosers added or never added after 4 mos of regular feeding, cross inoculation of aquarium bacteria on the slime coat of fish and any other item moved from one tank to another, the air, its all done.

this tank does not have a nitrite problem. using prime, the dechlorinator, is just one way of many to cause an api nitrite test kit to read horribly wrong and make you think you did something to stop the natural progression of bacteria in an aquatic or marine habitat. but you didnt

this has all been a digital wild goose chase thanks again to api :)

post pics of your tank and rocks. lets see if there is any coralline, that also indicates more details we will never need a test kit to discern

tank pics will show either extreme overcrowding or extreme pockets of waste buildup which would make me believe the nitrite issues a little more

[Calappidae]

the test kit is wrong

its been 4 months with a full fish bioload and no antibiotics have been dosed.

ergo, nitrites are at zero. try to imagine never caring about nitrites and them never having been an issue in this tank...thats what just happened. cool trick huh.

the bacteria have built up to levels independent of bacterial dosers added or never added after 4 mos of regular feeding, cross inoculation of aquarium bacteria on the slime coat of fish and any other item moved from one tank to another, the air, its all done.

this tank does not have a nitrite problem. using prime, the dechlorinator, is just one way of many to cause an api nitrite test kit to read horribly wrong and make you think you did something to stop the natural progression of bacteria in an aquatic or marine habitat. but you didnt

this has all been a digital wild goose chase thanks again to api :)

post pics of your tank and rocks. lets see if there is any coralline, that also indicates more details we will never need a test kit to discern

+1 just something didn't seem right for everything to be that high.

[Hobchoice1]

Going back to your original post - you have had the tank up for 4 months and for the past month and a half have been doing 30%. In my experience, if you do more than 20% at one time, you run the risk of starting what I like to call a mini-cycle.

Do you see diatoms (looks like cinnamon dusting all over everything) about 3-4 days after your change? If your answer is yes, stop doing water changes for a couple of weeks - just top off with fresh RO water as necessary. I don't believe that you have indicated what your water source is. If you are using well or tap water, this might be contributing.

Take your water to your LFS and have them test for you. Test ammonia and nitrate, too. Perhaps that will give you a better handle on whether or not your tank has truly cycled.