No more nitrates and ammonia but I still have nitrites.

[LeChef]

I have an api saltwater test kit so I understand its probably not the most direct and accurate test kit but i've been testing every day since I started cycling my tank a week ago and it seems like I still have nitrites even though my ammonia and nitrates have started to go down. Is this normal? I watched videos and they all say it goes ammonia - nitrites - and then nitrates but my nitrites look like there here still.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Nitrite bacteria are slow to produce. Luckily for marine setups we can largely ignore nitrites as they are non-toxic in salt water. Doing a large water change now can move that process along and prevent a nasty amount of nitrate at the end of the cycle. Nitrites will also show up as nitrates on test kits so the fact that your nitrates have gone down is more than likely a result of nitrites actually going down.

TLDR; WC and carry on my friend. You cycle is done

 

[Goaway]

Nitrites means the cycle isn't finished either. Or, am I misinformed?

Edit: how high are the nitrites?

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Nitrites means the cycle isn't finished either. Or, am I misinformed?

By our old rules, sure. The fact remains that nitrites are non-toxic due to the uptake being blocked. Ammoni processing is happening and clearly so is his nitrite bacteria (just slower to establish). Nitrate readings this early on with clear nitrite readings are false readings that are picking up nitrite.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

The question is @LeChef why do you continue to post threads and get the same advise that your cycle is over and done and then ignore the posters?

 

[brandon429]

wondering about ChrisRose04 back in play

remember he left cycling questions in thirty forums even in welcome new members he'd pop in: i have .25 is my cycle stopped

exactly that, w no introduction I loved it for a week

no matter what we typed or what we linked just a new post

i have .25 is my cycle stopped it was hardcore lol.

 

[LeChef]

The question is @LeChef why do you continue to post threads and get the same advise that your cycle is over and done and then ignore the posters?

Sorry this is my first saltwater tank when I post someone usually answers the question pretty quick and I don't often look back at the post because I stop getting notifications, I'll start doing that though. I've always done freshwater and saltwater chemistry is a big and important step in making sure your tank is setup correctly. I don't want to mess anything up is all and I don't mean to ignore the posts they say my tank is ready, others say I should wait, and then my water tests say something different so I just keep asking questions.

 

[LeChef]

Nitrites means the cycle isn't finished either. Or, am I misinformed?

Edit: how high are the nitrites?

looks to be about .25ppm

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Sorry this is my first saltwater tank when I post someone usually answers the question pretty quick and I don't often look back at the post because I stop getting notifications, I'll start doing that though. I've always done freshwater and saltwater chemistry is a big and important step in making sure your tank is setup correctly. I don't want to mess anything up is all and I don't mean to ignore the posts they say my tank is ready, others say I should wait, and then my water tests say something different so I just keep asking questions.

Fair enough. Misinformation can be cancerous to new reefers so I try and correct it. Check out the article Randy wrote on Nitrite

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-06/rhf/index.php

FYI: Nitrites at .25 ppm will show up at roughly 4x the concentration (kinda guessing at this as I can't find the figure now). If your nitrites were 4 ppm then Nitrates would test at 16 ppm despite the actual concentration being 0.

Nitrite non-toxicity is exclusive in Salt Water btw.

 

[brandon429]

also agreed we all like to get many responses to check for patterns no harm no foul there.

 

[Lasse]

FYI: Nitrites at .25 ppm will show up at roughly 4x the concentration (kinda guessing at this as I can't find the figure now). If your nitrites were 4 ppm then Nitrates would test at 16 ppm despite the actual concentration being 0.

Do not no the conversion factor for API but for Salifert - it is around 50. Tropic Marine normal 50 and the Pro test 100. I´ll think that API is rather alike salifert - it means 50, hence around 12.5 wrong in the nitrate reading.

Whats your nitrate?

Sincerely Lasse

 

[LeChef]

Do not no the conversion factor for API but for Salifert - it is around 50. Tropic Marine normal 50 and the Pro test 100. I´ll think that API is rather alike salifert - it means 50, hence around 12.5 wrong in the nitrate reading.

Whats your nitrate?

Sincerely Lasse

they look to be 0, i'm gonna do another test to be sure

edit: yep still yellow so 0ppm for nitrates

 

[Goaway]

I'm just having fun with the reading material.
scratch that.

 

[NeonRabbit221B]

Do not no the conversion factor for API but for Salifert - it is around 50. Tropic Marine normal 50 and the Pro test 100. I´ll think that API is rather alike salifert - it means 50, hence around 12.5 wrong in the nitrate reading.

Whats your nitrate?

Sincerely Lasse

Good call on that.