What is this? Algae?

[EnterName]

Yes nitrite at .5

Nitrate (NO₃) tests work by converting a fraction (for example 1/100) of the present nitrate in your sample to nitrite (NO₂) and then actually measure nitrite not nitrate. They then multiply the detected nitrite levels by the denominator of said fraction (in this case 100) to approximate nitrate.

You measured 0.5ppm nitrite, so even if there is no nitrate at all in your system this example test would report 50ppm nitrate for this reason.

0.5ppm ⋅ 100 = 50ppm​

It's a simplification of how these tests work, but you get the rough idea and why nitrite will skew nitrate tests. Unfortunately most nitrate tests don't really explain this or come with a table that helps you to account for present nitrite. Tropic Marin is an exception from this rule, which I really like: https://www.tropic-marin-smartinfo.com/no2-no3-test?lang=en

However, nitrite isn't dangerous at realistically achievable levels in reef tanks so you can ignore it and don't need to test it. However, it tells us that you don't need to worry about nitrate being too high right now, as we simply don't know how much nitrate is actually in your tank at the moment.

The tank is young and will go through quite a lot of microbiological development in the next months. I would not worry about any outbreaks. Diatoms are normal, green hair algae will follow. Very often dinoflagellates will join at some point, but that's not an issue in young tanks, it will pass.

 

[DoriReef]

Yes nitrite at .5

Nitrate (NO₃) tests work by converting a fraction (for example 1/100) of the present nitrate in your sample to nitrite (NO₂) and then actually measure nitrite not nitrate. They then multiply the detected nitrite levels by the denominator of said fraction (in this case 100) to approximate nitrate.

You measured 0.5ppm nitrite, so even if there is no nitrate at all in your system this example test would report 50ppm nitrate for this reason.

0.5ppm ⋅ 100 = 50ppm​

It's a simplification of how these tests work, but you get the rough idea and why nitrite will skew nitrate tests. Unfortunately most nitrate tests don't really explain this or come with a table that helps you to account for present nitrite. Tropic Marin is an exception from this rule, which I really like: https://www.tropic-marin-smartinfo.com/no2-no3-test?lang=en

However, nitrite isn't dangerous at realistically achievable levels in reef tanks so you can ignore it and don't need to test it. However, it tells us that you don't need to worry about nitrate being too high right now, as we simply don't know how much nitrate is actually in your tank at the moment.

The tank is young and will go through quite a lot of microbiological development in the next months. I would not worry about any outbreaks. Diatoms are normal, green hair algae will follow. Very often dinoflagellates will join at some point, but that's not an issue in young tanks, it will pass.

Wow thank you so much for the break down helped alot actually. Currently doing a 3 day blackout for the diatoms and gonna introduce a few trochus and nassarius and a chaeto fuge with copes to help