High Nitrite/Nitrate - what now?

[Danh Ngo]

Oh sorry, my bad.

The tank is 5 weeks, fish in for one week. 40 gallons, two small fish (one trigger, one blenny). I'm using water provided by the local aquarium which according to people working there is good to put fish in right away and most certainly after 4 weeks running fallow.

It is a part of cycling giving it few more weeks, did you use any lived rock to seed the tank, if not the cycle could be a bit longer

 

[siniang]

It is a part of cycling giving it few more weeks, did you use any lived rock to seed the tank, if not the cycle could be a bit longer

Thank you. No liverock, only live sand and water with bacteria, which wasn't enough as I learned just now.

 

[Danh Ngo]

Thank you. No liverock, only live sand and water with bacteria, which wasn't enough as I learned just now.

Yep, give it few more week and you can start adding some live stock

 

[siniang]

So, I've been monitoring and changing water/treating appropriately. I've had ammonia between 0 and 0.25/0.5 (once and immediately treated) and been treating with bacteria daily and ammonia neutralizer when spikes in addition to small water changes. So far, so good. I have not been testing nitrates/nitrites as per your information that test stripes are inaccurate and our local pet store doesn't carry master test kits, as well as false reading during the cycle.

However, I'm still a little concerned regarding the nitrates/nitrites. You said, nitrates give false reading if I have nitrites and I shouldn't be too concerned about nitrites because they're not toxic to saltwater fish. Yet, I keep reading threads like this with high nitrate/nitrite levels apparently being problematic...

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/all-my-fish-dead-why.387915/page-3#post-4727682

So, I'm really confused about nitrate part.

My fish seemingly do fine - I reduced their food a little bit as to avoid waste output and rotting food (which, even if being vigilant, can't be completely avoided if small bits end up in cracks in the rock from the filter flow or the trigger spitting them out - I spoon feed them and try to take out all uneated mysis, of course, but small bits end up floating around) and they're as hungry and active as ever (the trigger recently moved favorite spots). Would I notice any change in behavior before any of the levels (ammonia, nitrate) get too toxic?

I'm travelling for this and next week and my hubby is in charge and he's less familiar with anything (in addition to working really long days), so I want to give him the best instructions with the least hassle.

Thank you kindly!