NOPOX Red Sea - Can you Dose during Fishless Cycle

[14 foot reef]

I'm on Day 23 of a fishless cycle with the help of Seachems Alpha, Seed & 8.4. My system is 850 Gallons and my nitrITES are stuck at 14 ppm now for 15 days, & my nitrATES have climbed to over 150 ppm. (3 differentt test kits) (Red Sea, Hanna, & API). My question is, would it be save to dose NOPOX to help with the extremely high nitrATES as a 850 Gallon water change would be north of $400.00 Would there be any negative effects on the system. This system will be running the Triton Method once this cycle is complete. Any advise would be greatly appreciated.

Eric

 

[Danh Ngo]

Thats a big tank, I think just let the cycle complete and deal with nitrate later. the nitrate increasing because of your nitrite

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It is likely fine to do, but note that your nitrate may be nowhere near that high. 1.5 ppm nitrite can falsely show on a nitrate kit as 150 ppm nitrate. So you may have a lot less nitrate than you think

 

[IslandLifeReef]

NitrATE tests will read a false high reading if there are NitrITES in the tank. Wait to do anything until your NitrITES read 0ppm. Only then will you get a true NitrATE reading. It is possible that you have 0ppm nitrATES with that high of a nitrITE reading. You could add some bacteria in a bottle to help the cycle. Also stop adding ammonia until your nitrITES come down. They should be 5ppm or lower before adding more ammonia. You might have stalled your cycle by letting your nitrites get so high. If you don't see any movement in your nitrites in a couple of days, you may want to do a water change to get the nitrites down.

 

[14 foot reef]

NitrATE tests will read a false high reading if there are NitrITES in the tank. Wait to do anything until your NitrITES read 0ppm. Only then will you get a true NitrATE reading. It is possible that you have 0ppm nitrATES with that high of a nitrITE reading. You could add some bacteria in a bottle to help the cycle. Also stop adding ammonia until your nitrITES come down. They should be 5ppm or lower before adding more ammonia. You might have stalled your cycle by letting your nitrites get so high. If you don't see any movement in your nitrites in a couple of days, you may want to do a water change to get the nitrites down.

Thank you, I haven't added ammonia in 15 days, I've been dosing 112 ML of seed per Seachem every day for about a week now with no movement of nitrite at all. A water change would cost north of $400.00 so trying to find another way to get nitrITES down.....Thanks for letting me. know about the possible false reading, that makes since.

 

[14 foot reef]

It is likely fine to do, but note that your nitrate may be nowhere near that high. 1.5 ppm nitrite can falsely show on a nitrate kit as 150 ppm nitrate. So you may have a lot less nitrate than you think

Randy I'm dosing Seachem Seed at a rate of 112ml per day per Seachem, any other advise on this 15 day stall of nitrites?
Thanks for the false reading comment, I did not know that.

 

[IslandLifeReef]

What is your ammonia reading? How much rock do you have in the tank? Was it live rock or was it dry rock?

This just may take time. You could always try a different brand of bacteria. Kent and Dr Timm's sell bacteria in a bottle as well. Some people have luck with different brands. It just may take a little longer for the denitrifying bacteria to establish themselves enough to reduce your nitrites. If ammonia is 0ppm, then the first stage of bacteria are there. The second stage grows much slower. You should see movement in a week or two. Then the nitrites should start to come down quickly.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I agree it might be time for a different bacteria brand.

Which nitrite kit are you using?

 

[14 foot reef]

I agree it might be time for a different bacteria brand.

Which nitrite kit are you using?

Randy,
Using 3 different, Hanna, Red Sea, and API

I'll think about a different brand, good Idea thank yo

What is your ammonia reading? How much rock do you have in the tank? Was it live rock or was it dry rock?

This just may take time. You could always try a different brand of bacteria. Kent and Dr Timm's sell bacteria in a bottle as well. Some people have luck with different brands. It just may take a little longer for the denitrifying bacteria to establish themselves enough to reduce your nitrites. If ammonia is 0ppm, then the first stage of bacteria are there. The second stage grows much slower. You should see movement in a week or two. Then the nitrites should start to come down quickly.

Life Rock by CaribSea, 400 lbs. Ammonia has been zero since day 7

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

OK, thanks. I thought the three kits were nitrate.