High nitrites

[matthewjason927]

Started to cycle my 26 gallon tank with the microbacter dry rock kit it’s been 8 days, ammonia is at 1.07 and nitrites at 36 what am I doing wrong

 

[Fish Fan]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

#WelcometoR2R

Why do you think something is wrong? Looks perfectly normal to me

 

[Fish Fan]

To add, nitrite is non-toxic in saltwater tanks, so there's no need to test for or worry about it. Just wait for the ammonia to come down to close to zero, and then you can safely start to stock slowly with some hardly livestock

 

[exnisstech]

Welcome to the hobby. I find cycling easier by not owning an ammonia or nitrite test kit. I wait until I see the presence of nitrate and move slowly forward. Many will disagree but I haven't had a problem cycling a tank yet by ignoring ammonia and nitrite and watching for nitrate.

 

[matthewjason927]

Thank you exnisstech, So I don’t have to wait for ammonia and nitrites to be at zero before adding fish? I will test nitrate soon as I get the chance

 

[matthewjason927]

Welcome to Reef2Reef!

#WelcometoR2R

Why do you think something is wrong? Looks perfectly normal to me

I was under the impression that nitrites over .25 was high im at 36

 

[matthewjason927]

I was under the impression that nitrites over .25 was high im at 36

Ok seems that I was reading it totally wrong what a baffoon lol

 

[exnisstech]

Thank you exnisstech, So I don’t have to wait for ammonia and nitrites to be at zero before adding fish? I will test nitrate soon as I get the chance

I think the recommended method is to add ammonia to a certain level (I can't remember the level) and make sure the tank can process that amount in 24 hrs. Nothing wrong with that method and truth be told is probably not a bad idea for someone starting off just to be safe I suppose. I've cycled enough tanks that I don't find it necessary.

 

[Fish Fan]

Typically, it's advised to dose ammonia to about 2.0 ppm and let it fall down to nearly zero. I say "nearly zero" because many home test kits seem to always show like 0.25 ppm ammonia when the concentration is much lower. Once that ammonia falls, and you're recording nitrate, you should be in good shape, going slowly, of course. Nitrite is for sure a non-issue in marine tanks, unlike it is in freshwater tanks.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I don’t see how nitrite at 36 ppm is even possible (where would
All that N come from?), but 36 ppb certainly is.

How are you measuring nitrite?