Can i use...

[Alex Mederos]

hey R2R, im in need of a little help, if anyone has knowledge of this. Im currently fishless cycling (dr. tims 1AO and dr tims ammonia) an IM 25 lagoon (started 4/18) and ran out of the red sea nitrite liquid and powder additives. I do have a nitrate pro kit. Can that be used to test the nitrites? Since the marine test kit pulls a double duty with NO2/NO3.

Btw... i have:
2ppm ammonia (that hasnt dropped since day1)
0ppm nitrite (that hasnt risen at all)
.75ppm nitrate

I use RODI with brand new filters

 

[NY_Caveman]

Welcome to R2R!

I would not think it would work, but I do not know what is in those reagents. Honestly, I do not even check nitrites. In 30-40 days you will be cycled with your method for sure. If you want to test or get a faster cycle then you could pick up a Nitrite only kit.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

There is some overlap in reagents, but I am not sure exactly how they formulate them and I wouldn't assume you can just swap in from a different kit.

Personally, I'd just ignore nitrite and focus on ammonia. The nitrite is not very important, nor is it a toxicity concern (as it is in fresh water).

 

[Alex Mederos]

Thanks guys for the fast responses!!!

Welcome to R2R!

I would not think it would work, but I do not know what is in those reagents. Honestly, I do not even check nitrites. In 30-40 days you will be cycled with your method for sure. If you want to test or get a faster cycle then you could pick up a Nitrite only kit.

Yea I tried testing twice and just get a clear sample, no color. But 30-40 days?! That’s way off the 1-2 weeks people usually get their tanks cycled.

There is some overlap in reagents, but I am not sure exactly how they formulate them and I wouldn't assume you can just swap in from a different kit.

Personally, I'd just ignore nitrite and focus on ammonia. The nitrite is not very important, nor is it a toxicity concern (as it is in fresh water).

Randy, would dosing ammonia back up to 2 ppm after it hits 0 ppm be fine? Or should I keep it at 2 ppm by dosing ammonia as it falls?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Randy, would dosing ammonia back up to 2 ppm after it hits 0 ppm be fine? Or should I keep it at 2 ppm by dosing ammonia as it falls?

I'd wait for it to hit zero, then redose.

 

[Alex Mederos]

Thanks

 

[PatW]

I have the Red Sea nitrate and nitrite tests. From the labels on the bottles of the nitrite test, the A and C reagents look the same as the A and C reagents for the nitrite test. Both bottles indicate NO2/NO3. I have never tried them out switching the test. The nitrite test is 1 drop of A reagent in 16 ml of sample and mix fotb10 sec. then add a scoop of reagent C and mix for 10 seconds. Wait for 9 min for the color to develop.