Sudden nitrite and nitrate drop

[a123h]

After months of having nitrite issues my nitrites over the last few days have dropped pretty much to 0 from 2 plus and nitrates as well have started to drop from 20-30+ to now as low as 1 or so anyone know how? I did bring in a new leather coral attached to a live rock from the lfs could this have added benefical bacteria and or is my coral just eating up nitrates? Worth to mention i have had this tank running for months and havnt done a water change in over a week or added anything else to the system!

 

[Lasse]

After months of having nitrite issues my nitrites over the last few days have dropped pretty much to 0 from 2 plus and nitrates as well have started to drop from 20-30+ to now as low as 1 or so anyone know how? I did bring in a new leather coral attached to a live rock from the lfs could this have added benefical bacteria and or is my coral just eating up nitrates? Worth to mention i have had this tank running for months and havnt done a water change in over a week or added anything else to the system!

Its normal - when the second step NO2 - NO3 kicks in - it goes fast - very fast. Why your NO3 concentrations have decrease too - when it following every logical thinking should have increase - is because your NO2 concentrations interfere with the method for NO3 measurements your test kit use. Its normal. The most common method in the hobby to analyse NO3 convert NO3 into NO2 and the method measure NO2 and the colour scale will afterwards convert this into NO3. If you have NO2 already in the water - you will have a false NO3 reading. The multiply factor can be from 10 to 100 times. Nothing have "eaten" your NO3 - it was just a false reading before because your NO2 concentrations.

Sincerely Lasse

 

[a123h]

After months of having nitrite issues my nitrites over the last few days have dropped pretty much to 0 from 2 plus and nitrates as well have started to drop from 20-30+ to now as low as 1 or so anyone know how? I did bring in a new leather coral attached to a live rock from the lfs could this have added benefical bacteria and or is my coral just eating up nitrates? Worth to mention i have had this tank running for months and havnt done a water change in over a week or added anything else to the system!

Its normal - when the second step NO2 - NO3 kicks in - it goes fast - very fast. Why your NO3 concentrations have decrease too - when it following every logical thinking should have increase - is because your NO2 concentrations interfere with the method for NO3 measurements your test kit use. Its normal. The most common method in the hobby to analyse NO3 convert NO3 into NO2 and the method measure NO2 and the colour scale will afterwards convert this into NO3. If you have NO2 already in the water - you will have a false NO3 reading. The multiply factor can be from 10 to 100 times. Nothing have "eaten" your NO3 - it was just a false reading before because your NO2 concentrations.

Sincerely Lasse

Very interesting thats what i researched and found out too thanks for confirming. Still not sure how my nitrites suddenly droped maybe the bacteria is finnaly working cant complain but. Should i just feed abit heavier for nitrates to increase as of now ? I have one cora a leather.

 

[Lasse]

Still not sure how my nitrites suddenly droped maybe the bacteria is finnaly working cant complain but

Its normal - of some reasons - the second step is on/off - nothing - nothing - nothing and suddenly during some hours all happens. Never found any explanation of this but it has happens to me more than 100 times.

Just feed and have a normal stocking - NO3 will rise. If you have Tangs - Nori its good for both them and NO3 concentrations.

Sincerely Lasse