Ammonia, nitrite and nitrate all at once?

racingskylines

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 2, 2023
Messages
10
Reaction score
2
Location
ocean county
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey all! New poster but this isn’t my first system. I used to have a 130 gallon system about 7 years ago but moved and took it down and now I’m starting over with the nuvo 15g.
Needless to say the cycling bacteria has come a long way since then. So I dosed my tank with Fritz and have been adding a little less than capful of stability every day for the cycle. Ammonia showed about 5 days into the cycle. It’s now a week later and the ammonias regressed, mind I’ve been doing 3 gallon water changes when ever she starts to crest over 1.5ppm. Yesterday I did a water change was about .75ppm est. today I'm light on the .5 side of the test and nitrites have popped up, which I expected however, I am also finding nitrates in the tank as well. Is this odd when dosing these bacteria’s? I realize I might have over done it with the bacteria dosing but I figure 2 brands, probably using different strains of bacteria and I was attempting to have a pretty diverse biome. No real bacteria blooms except for maybe a few days into it, lasted 24 hours and waters been crystal ever since. I have tested my r/o water and there is 0-0-0 so it’s not that. Just curious if anyone else has seen this before. Is it possible to skip the nitrite cycle?
 

Garf

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Oct 23, 2020
Messages
5,152
Reaction score
5,970
Location
BEEFINGHAM
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Hey all! New poster but this isn’t my first system. I used to have a 130 gallon system about 7 years ago but moved and took it down and now I’m starting over with the nuvo 15g.
Needless to say the cycling bacteria has come a long way since then. So I dosed my tank with Fritz and have been adding a little less than capful of stability every day for the cycle. Ammonia showed about 5 days into the cycle. It’s now a week later and the ammonias regressed, mind I’ve been doing 3 gallon water changes when ever she starts to crest over 1.5ppm. Yesterday I did a water change was about .75ppm est. today I'm light on the .5 side of the test and nitrites have popped up, which I expected however, I am also finding nitrates in the tank as well. Is this odd when dosing these bacteria’s? I realize I might have over done it with the bacteria dosing but I figure 2 brands, probably using different strains of bacteria and I was attempting to have a pretty diverse biome. No real bacteria blooms except for maybe a few days into it, lasted 24 hours and waters been crystal ever since. I have tested my r/o water and there is 0-0-0 so it’s not that. Just curious if anyone else has seen this before. Is it possible to skip the nitrite cycle?
Not unusual to get nitrite and nitrate. The nitrite messes with the nitrate test giving erroneous readings. I’m more interested in where the ammonia has come from, if not intentionally adding food or ammonia solutions, fish?
 
OP
OP
R

racingskylines

New Member
View Badges
Joined
Dec 2, 2023
Messages
10
Reaction score
2
Location
ocean county
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
What is the Fritz product?
It’s the Fritz zyme 9. Tested this morning, nitrites are going away and the nitrates are at like 40 atm. Ammonia is dipping below .5 even further. Going to do a 5gal water change and see if I can get the ammonia gone before I have a nitrate spike. I’m assuming the cycles complete?
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

Reef Chemist
View Badges
Joined
Sep 5, 2014
Messages
67,419
Reaction score
63,766
Location
Arlington, Massachusetts, United States
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
It’s the Fritz zyme 9. Tested this morning, nitrites are going away and the nitrates are at like 40 atm. Ammonia is dipping below .5 even further. Going to do a 5gal water change and see if I can get the ammonia gone before I have a nitrate spike. I’m assuming the cycles complete?

I’m don’t see a reason for a water change. If nitrite is still present, the nitrate reading is likely false high from interference.
 

Reefing threads: Do you wear gear from reef brands?

  • I wear reef gear everywhere.

    Votes: 35 16.4%
  • I wear reef gear primarily at fish events and my LFS.

    Votes: 13 6.1%
  • I wear reef gear primarily for water changes and tank maintenance.

    Votes: 1 0.5%
  • I wear reef gear primarily to relax where I live.

    Votes: 28 13.1%
  • I don’t wear gear from reef brands.

    Votes: 122 57.3%
  • Other.

    Votes: 14 6.6%
Back
Top