Nitrite Toxicity

[Areeflover]

Hey guys I have an aquarium system that has about 45gallons of water cycling so I Let it cycle for about week and I added seeded marine pure ceramic balls and the bacteria in a bottle. I had no choice but to add my 2 clownfish from my quarantine into the tank.. because I needed to put a sick fish into it.. so I’m seeing nitrites and no ammonia.. I saw an article stating that nitrite to saltwater fish is hardly toxic almost to a point that a hardy freshwater fish is about 1000x more susceptible to its toxicity then an average saltwater fish. Should I do a water change or just let the cycle continue?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It may have been my article.

Nitrite is not toxic in marine systems and I wouldn't do anything about it.

Nitrite and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.htm

 

[Areeflover]

It may have been my article.

Nitrite is not toxic in marine systems and I wouldn't do anything about it.

Nitrite and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.htm

Yes sir it was!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

lol

OK, so no need to worry about it.

 

[rebels23]

Does that mean 2ppm Nitrite is nothing to sneeze at?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Does that mean 2ppm Nitrite is nothing to sneeze at?

What is the context of the question?

 

[brandon429]

I can't wait to find out as well. This whole time since the first post we have purposefully excluded nitrite in hundreds of logged cycles

it makes sense how in some qt/hospital settings it might factor/regulating dosages of items or knowing when to watch for ammonia control breakdown...but in a display, we looked the other way

until that article I had not known it was such an impact difference between fw and sw.

 

[brandon429]

Randy I have this question

do you have updated inputs on the link between nitrite accumulation during a cycle and suppression of ammonia nh3 control, specifically the claim that nitrite presence stalls a cycle such that we may not proceed safely?

in that arrangement, nitrite presence would have a consequence and we'd better know it.
***I do not doubt that the ammonia control-only, speed cycle approach may leave nitrite unready
we just want to know if it will ever matter in a safe start.

 

[rebels23]

What is the context of the question?

Sorry Randy, here is more context. My QT tank was completely cycled. I started adding fish in there. Was dosing prazi pro to de-worm and got through that dosage. Then did a 80% water change and my QT tank went down the tube....high ammonia, high nitrites (almost as if all the bacteria got wiped out). Now I am dealing with ich (or velvet), dosing Cuprmamine and have finally gotten ammonia down to .25 ppm. But Nitrites are reading 2ppm. I have been doing 25% water changes every day to get the nitrite down. If I don't have to be concerned about it, I will just monitor the ammonia. Your advice greatly appreciated.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The toxicity of nitrite to marine fish is low. I'd focus on the ammonia and would not worry about 2 ppm nitrite.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Randy I have this question

do you have updated inputs on the link between nitrite accumulation during a cycle and suppression of ammonia nh3 control, specifically the claim that nitrite presence stalls a cycle such that we may not proceed safely?

in that arrangement, nitrite presence would have a consequence and we'd better know it.
***I do not doubt that the ammonia control-only, speed cycle approach may leave nitrite unready
we just want to know if it will ever matter in a safe start.

I don't have any data, but I'd be surprised if the presence of nitrite stalls a cycle.

 

[brandon429]

Ok good to know.

 

[rmurken]

I until that article I had not known it was such an impact difference between fw and sw.

I’ve read that one way to help FW fish through a nitrite spike is to add a bit of salt to the water. Supposedly because chloride is selectively absorbed over nitrite at the gills.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I’ve read that one way to help FW fish through a nitrite spike is to add a bit of salt to the water. Supposedly because chloride is selectively absorbed over nitrite at the gills.

Yes, chloride competes for the same uptake mechanisms. I discuss it here:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.htm#5

 

[brandon429]

Additional patterns: we have never seen nitrite positivity negatively impact corals, or shrimp or cuc of any kind in our speed cycle setups.

thought it was neat that gill-less organisms as well in marine settings haven’t been affected with nitrite like they would with nh3 noncontrol

i cannot find nitrite impacts to marine filter bacteria, fish, corals, pods, worms, shrimp or anything we reef with

 

[brandon429]

this is a very helpful update. Participants in our cycling threads have saved lots of money by excluding nitrite from any factor in reef procedure and the best part is making their expected start dates


we will continue excluding the measure for another few years and rack up some posts to track. Though I don’t understand the chemistry aspects very well, the end point is nitrite has certainly not stalled any cycle we have ran or will undertake pending updates in 2022

when ammonia shows clear ability to move down (no zero needed) from a starting point thats been our signal to begin safely. When that actionable date coincides with the timeframe directions on the bottle bac then it seems doubly ok to begin, this is our green flag start mechanism we w keep using to track cycles for the next couple years and report back

 

[Neoma]

this is a very helpful update. Participants in our cycling threads have saved lots of money by excluding nitrite from any factor in reef procedure and the best part is making their expected start dates


we will continue excluding the measure for another few years and rack up some posts to track. Though I don’t understand the chemistry aspects very well, the end point is nitrite has certainly not stalled any cycle we have ran or will undertake pending updates in 2022

when ammonia shows clear ability to move down (no zero needed) from a starting point thats been our signal to begin safely. When that actionable date coincides with the timeframe directions on the bottle bac then it seems doubly ok to begin, this is our green flag start mechanism we w keep using to track cycles for the next couple years and report back

So if my nitrates have spiked, is that going to be an issue? I am looking to replace my test kit, API is not giving me consistent readings

 

[Areeflover]

So if my nitrates have spiked, is that going to be an issue? I am looking to replace my test kit, API is not giving me consistent readings

I mean your nitrite would have to be like 25ppm+ Even then it’s a slow acting issue.. just do a water change

 

[brandon429]

Neoma

if nitrate spikes that’s ok, some reef tanks like Paul B’s run at 160 ppm


if nitrite spikes, doesnt matter at all, stop testing for it in display tank reefing

My recommend is to never own the test kit, it causes massive hesitation and repeat purchases and doubt across the spectrum of possible reef doubt

 

[Neoma]

I mean your nitrite would have to be like 25ppm+ Even then it’s a slow acting issue.. just do a water change

It's almost 20 ppm, and I just did a water change! also tested my tap water just to see if it's a viable source, it has 10 ppm nitrate! But I will be doing another tonight