Nitrites not falling on cycle

TehBrainz

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my nitrite has come to down to 1-2ppm now and i’m going to add my clowns today
Sounds like the cycle took the appropriate amount of time.

As others have said, be weary of advice or "requirements" from your LFS. You should be pushing to understand their processes and water chemistry, not vice versa. If they say they quarantine their fish take it with a grain of salt and do your own QT/observation. You may learn of individuals at the LFS that are more knowledgeable than others, but they're still in the market of selling fish at the end of the day
 
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T4ylor

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Sounds like the cycle took the appropriate amount of time.

As others have said, be weary of advice or "requirements" from your LFS. You should be pushing to understand their processes and water chemistry, not vice versa. If they say they quarantine their fish take it with a grain of salt and do your own QT/observation. You may learn of individuals at the LFS that are more knowledgeable than others, but they're still in the market of selling fish at the end of the day
lfs do sometimes give conflicting advice but i make sure to weigh up all advice i get from everyone. They wanted to make sure my levels were 0 and alkalinity etc. But do you think i’m okay with adding them where i’m at now?
 

TehBrainz

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lfs do sometimes give conflicting advice but i make sure to weigh up all advice i get from everyone. They wanted to make sure my levels were 0 and alkalinity etc. But do you think i’m okay with adding them where i’m at now?
If adding 2-3ppm of ammonia is able to come down in 24-36 hours and your nitrites are down, nitrates up, then yes. Your cycle is complete.

Also, alkalinity has no bearing for fish. It comes into play with keeping corals
 
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T4ylor

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If adding 2-3ppm of ammonia is able to come down in 24-36 hours and your nitrites are down, nitrates up, then yes. Your cycle is complete.

Also, alkalinity has no bearing for fish. It comes into play with keeping corals
2ppm ammonia comes down in 24 hours, nitrite is at 1-2ppm from being 4+ yesterday and nitrate is up.
Alk is 5.7 and i have a buffer for when i need cuz i used dead rock but not gonna worry about that yet
 

TehBrainz

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2ppm ammonia comes down in 24 hours, nitrite is at 1-2ppm from being 4+ yesterday and nitrate is up.
Alk is 5.7 and i have a buffer for when i need cuz i used dead rock but not gonna worry about that yet
Ok so I momentarily retract my statement about alkalinity. 5.7 is suuuper low.

Few questions. Apologize I'd they've been answered on the other 3 pages.

What salt mix are you using? Test kit for Alk? Other parameters (last measured date/time please)

Temp
Salinity
pH
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate (yes you did just answer these 3)
Alk
Calc (only if you have it not a big deal if no kit for fish atm)
 
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T4ylor

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Ok so I momentarily retract my statement about alkalinity. 5.7 is suuuper low.

Few questions. Apologize I'd they've been answered on the other 3 pages.

What salt mix are you using? Test kit for Alk? Other parameters (last measured date/time please)

Temp
Salinity
pH
Ammonia
Nitrite
Nitrate (yes you did just answer these 3)
Alk
Calc (only if you have it not a big deal if no kit for fish atm)
Temp: 25 rn
Salinity: 1.024 rn
Ph: 8 (2 days ago but has stayed at 8 for previous week steadily)
Ammonia: 0 (api and seachem) tested 2 days ago and seachem sticker still reading 0
Nitrite: 1.5 (salifert) an hour ago
Nitrate: can’t test with present nitrite
Alk: 5.7 tested mon or tuesday (salifert)
Calc: don’t have a test atm
 
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T4ylor

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TehBrainz

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instant ocean
Not going to lie, I've never heard of that salt nor can I find much on it. A few sites say it's out of production.

I was specifically asking salt mix to better understand where the alkalinity should be when mixed to a standard salinity. Is it listed on the label of the bucket somewhere?

When you mix new salt water, make sure to check salinity and temperature in conjunction.

This is a good calculator to use for salinity changes, conversion corrections, etc.

 
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T4ylor

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Not going to lie, I've never heard of that salt nor can I find much on it. A few sites say it's out of production.

I was specifically asking salt mix to better understand where the alkalinity should be when mixed to a standard salinity. Is it listed on the label of the bucket somewhere?

When you mix new salt water, make sure to check salinity and temperature in conjunction.

This is a good calculator to use for salinity changes, conversion corrections, etc.

it doesn’t talk about alkalinity on the salt mix and the instructions for mixing amounts are based off of making a salinity of 1.023. Id come to the conclusion my dead rock had soaked up my alkalinity
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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You are ready for a fish. You were ready before.

5.7 dKH is fine for a fish. The ocean isn't much higher.

Specific gravity of 1.023 is OK for fish. Higher is also OK.

Nitrites at 1-2 ppm are not a concern.
 

TehBrainz

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You are ready for a fish. You were ready before.

5.7 dKH is fine for a fish. The ocean isn't much higher.

Specific gravity of 1.023 is OK for fish. Higher is also OK.

Nitrites at 1-2 ppm are not a concern.
Thanks Randy for being the voice of reason.

I admit my personal preference and husbandry is what led to my recommendation, not true necessity for the livestock needs.

I've never personally seen an alk of 5.7 dKH and found it a bit odd in a freshly started tank.
 

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