Barely Detectable nitrites?

Scottayy

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I have the salifert liquid test kit. Viewing through the top gives me a reading of 0 nitrites. Viewing through the side matches up with 0.5 exactly. You're supposed to divide by 10 when viewing through the side.

So my nitrites are at 0.05. Is this bad that it is detectable or is it just a sign of a functioning biological filtration ?
 
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ReefRusty

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How old is the tank? Is this going through a cycle? 0.05 nitrite is nothing to worry about, there is loads of info that they are not harmful for marine fish.
 
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Scottayy

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It's a new tank. But it's probably been cycled for a month. No corals in there yet, currently going through the ugly stage. Just 2 clownfish and inverts.

Everything is happy and thriving though.
 

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I have the salifert liquid test kit. Viewing through the top gives me a reading of 0 nitrites. Viewing through the side matches up with 0.5 exactly. You're supposed to divide by 10 when viewing through the side.

So my nitrites are at 0.05. Is this bad that it is detectable or is it just a sign of a functioning biological filtration ?
Nitrite for saltwater creatures is not detrimental like it is for freshwater creatures. The concentration you are observing seems very low and is not an issue as far as I understand. So from that perspective, observing nitrite is not bad. I have also observed nitrite at this level in a system that is several years old.

By the way, the presence of nitrite will boost the nitrate reading in nitrate tests to varying degrees. At your current level, I would guess it might be around an extra 1 ppm.
 
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Scottayy

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Nitrite for saltwater creatures is not detrimental like it is for freshwater creatures. The concentration you are observing seems very low and is not an issue as far as I understand. So from that perspective, observing nitrite is not bad. I have also observed nitrite at this level in a system that is several years old.

By the way, the presence of nitrite will boost the nitrate reading in nitrate tests to varying degrees. At your current level, I would guess it might be around an extra 1 ppm.
Thanks for the additional info!

My nitrate is around 20, which is fine for fish only. I need to work on getting this down. I'm already doing 4g pwc every week.. In a 13.5. I won't be adding coral for a while so this gives me time to bring it down.

I'm thinking I feed too much.
 
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