What level should my nitrates be?

[KrisReef]

Should be good to go with the goby, but feed that fish lightly (4 pellets/day sounds good) at first because that small tank is going to fill up with nitrates quick it seems. I'm wondering if the live rock isn't leaking nitrates more than those 4 pellets did?

 

[James_O]

Should be good to go with the goby, but feed that fish lightly (4 pellets/day sounds good) at first because that small tank is going to fill up with nitrates quick it seems. I'm wondering if the live rock isn't leaking nitrates more than those 4 pellets did?

I’m honestly not sure, that could be an explanation though...

Wouldn’t the live rock suck up nitrates, because of the algae?

 

[KrisReef]

Chemical saturation moves from areas of relatively high towards lower. Nitrate and phosphate on live rock substrates will reflect the concentration in the water they are immersed in. An old dirty tank will generally have “high” nutrient levels and the minerals precipitated on the rocks reflect that.
When you move those rocks in to a new shiny clean tank the percipient on the rocks moves into the water.

come to think of it, I put a brand new mined dead rock in a bucket of rodi water and measured low levels of phosphate in the bucket after the rock soaked for a week or so. I did not measure nitrate (no testing for No3) but it is possible that your new dead rock is also “loaded” with nitrate?!

pelleted food degradation may or may not be the source in your tank.

the addition of bio-spira and live rock should have introduced enough life to have a weak but functional bio film in your tank. Go slow with feeding- the fish waste is the main source of ammonia that we measure in tanks with fish unless we are dosing other ammonia sources, which you are not doing now.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

FWIW, phosphate can bind to rock and sand surfaces in massive amounts and later come back off, but nitrate cannot do that at all.

For rock to release any nitrate implies that it has organic matter on it that is degrading.

 

[KrisReef]

Thanks for the correction,

 

[James_O]

FWIW, phosphate can bind to rock and sand surfaces in massive amounts and later come back off, but nitrate cannot do that at all.

For rock to release any nitrate implies that it has organic matter on it that is degrading.

Is it possible that there was some algae inside that died, and now that nitrate is leaking out?

the addition of bio-spira and live rock should have introduced enough life to have a weak but functional bio film in your tank. Go slow with feeding- the fish waste is the main source of ammonia that we measure in tanks with fish unless we are dosing other ammonia sources, which you are not doing now.

Ok, Thank you! I may actually be getting my Goby tomorrow, if they have it!

——

I think I figured out why I have much higher nitrates in my 29g than I do my freshwater tanks.

I think it’s because I don’t dose Seachem Prime in my saltwater tank.

Prime detoxifies Ammonia, Nitrite, and nitrate. I don’t use Prime in my saltwater tank, because the RO/DI system takes out all the chlorine anyway.

Should I dose Prime to the tank and see if that helps?

 

[dvgyfresh]

Is it possible that there was some algae inside that died, and now that nitrate is leaking out?



Ok, Thank you! I may actually be getting my Goby tomorrow, if they have it!

——

I think I figured out why I have much higher nitrates in my 29g than I do my freshwater tanks.

I think it’s because I don’t dose Seachem Prime in my saltwater tank.

Prime detoxifies Ammonia, Nitrite, and nitrate. I don’t use Prime in my saltwater tank, because the RO/DI system takes out all the chlorine anyway.

Should I dose Prime to the tank and see if that helps?

Prime only works for 48 hours, it would be a temporary bandaid and not an actual fix. To reduce nitrates you can do a water change or use a refugium

 

[James_O]

Hehe, kicking myself super hard right now - may have to go to the ER after the beating I just have myself...

—-

A little back story:

I was told that the liquid in the API freshwater kit is the same as the liquid in the API saltwater kit, except the color cards are different. I said, “Heck, I’m going to save some money, and just print out saltwater color card, but use the freshwater liquid”.

Turns out, my printer is a crappy piece of trash that couldn’t print accurate colors if the world depended on it. So here I am, scratching my head, wondering why my nitrates are at 20ppm, then it hit me - the colors are way off.

I googled a picture of the saltwater card, and the colors are way different.

——-

My nitrates are actually, 5ppm

——
Apparently API is known for its trashy test kits, so I will probably be upgrading soon.


——

Here are my real accurate parameters:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 5ppm
pH: 8.2

——

;Bucktooth;Hilarious;Muted;Rage

 

[Pistondog]

Damsels, chromis and clowns are cheap and hardy for starters.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Cycling is a 2-4 week process adding ZERO livestock as there will be daily chemical changes and swings occuring that will simply kill livestock.
API test kit is notorious for false readings and have let down many reefers hence the very low price for a master test kit. You will likely have inaccurate readings during the cycle process.
Ammonia badges have the same credibility as they are also intended for fresh water tanks ands also known for false readings.
What is cycling supposed to be ??
Decades ago, hobbyists would cycle their new tank with a sacrificial fish, like a blue damsel. While this method may still be used by some, it's not a good plan for two reasons: 1) as the ammonia rises in the water, the fish's gills are burned by the rising ammonia levels which is unkind, and 2) most people don't want the damsel in their aquarium later because it's deemed too aggressive to other livestock.
Once you fill up your aquarium with saltwater, powerheads, a heater and perhaps add sand for substrate, the next step is to "cycle" your tank. The purpose of a cycle is to create bacteria that will be consuming ammonia and nitrite from your livestock, but you have to get the bacteria from somewhere initially. Why is it called a cycle? Because the tank will go through three phases: ammonia will rise and fall, then nitrite will rise and fall even quicker, and lastly nitrate will rise and fall. Once Ammonia and Nitrite read 0 and Nitrate is less than 20ppm, the cycle is complete and livestock can gradually be introduced. The bacteria population will increase with the new bioload, processing waste and converting it to nitrate rapidly. However, it is important to note that overloading the aquarium with too many fish initially can exceed what the bacteria can handle. This is why it is best to add new fish slowly over the next few months. The bacterial levels will adapt if you don't overload the system with too many mouths to feed.

How long does the cycle generally last? Using the three test kits to measure results daily, you'll likely see the process takes 21 days. There are several ways to cycle a tank, but the easiest one is to run up to the supermarket, go to the seafood deli counter and ask for one large shrimp. If they sell it with the head, even better. One shrimp will cost about $1. Don't worry if they think you're crazy to buy only one; this is not the first time someone will wonder about your motivations with this hobby.
We're all crazy the day we considered getting into the saltwater hobby !!
Leave the shrimp in the tank for 72 hours. That's it. It may even visibly rot, or envelope in some type of mucous. That's what needs to happen. As the shrimp rots, ammonia is released into the water, and bacteria is growing exponentially, spreading into the substrate. The water may even look a little cloudy, which is totally normal and nothing to be concerned about. After three days, remove the shrimp and throw it away. It is no longer needed. Test for ammonia and see what it measures. It should read at the very least 1ppm, or higher.
Test the aquarium daily for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate, logging the information on graph paper or perhaps in a spreadsheet or app. The more data points you collect over time will graph the rise and fall of each of these parameters. No livestock of any kind should be placed in the aquarium as long as you have any measurable traces of ammonia or nitrite because these are toxic to fish and invertebrates. Start planning what you'll want to put in your aquarium while you have a few weeks to wait. There's no reason to rush this process. A good solid foundation will benefit your future reef and handle the bioload adequately.
Also - If you are running the system with a sump that has a refugium or Algae Turf Scrubber section, don't add any light or plants because the system is too clean.

 

[James_O]

Cycling is a 2-4 week process adding ZERO livestock as there will be daily chemical changes and swings occuring that will simply kill livestock.
API test kit is notorious for false readings and have let down many reefers hence the very low price for a master test kit. You will likely have inaccurate readings during the cycle process.
Ammonia badges have the same credibility as they are also intended for fresh water tanks ands also known for false readings.
What is cycling supposed to be ??
Decades ago, hobbyists would cycle their new tank with a sacrificial fish, like a blue damsel. While this method may still be used by some, it's not a good plan for two reasons: 1) as the ammonia rises in the water, the fish's gills are burned by the rising ammonia levels which is unkind, and 2) most people don't want the damsel in their aquarium later because it's deemed too aggressive to other livestock.
Once you fill up your aquarium with saltwater, powerheads, a heater and perhaps add sand for substrate, the next step is to "cycle" your tank. The purpose of a cycle is to create bacteria that will be consuming ammonia and nitrite from your livestock, but you have to get the bacteria from somewhere initially. Why is it called a cycle? Because the tank will go through three phases: ammonia will rise and fall, then nitrite will rise and fall even quicker, and lastly nitrate will rise and fall. Once Ammonia and Nitrite read 0 and Nitrate is less than 20ppm, the cycle is complete and livestock can gradually be introduced. The bacteria population will increase with the new bioload, processing waste and converting it to nitrate rapidly. However, it is important to note that overloading the aquarium with too many fish initially can exceed what the bacteria can handle. This is why it is best to add new fish slowly over the next few months. The bacterial levels will adapt if you don't overload the system with too many mouths to feed.

How long does the cycle generally last? Using the three test kits to measure results daily, you'll likely see the process takes 21 days. There are several ways to cycle a tank, but the easiest one is to run up to the supermarket, go to the seafood deli counter and ask for one large shrimp. If they sell it with the head, even better. One shrimp will cost about $1. Don't worry if they think you're crazy to buy only one; this is not the first time someone will wonder about your motivations with this hobby.
We're all crazy the day we considered getting into the saltwater hobby !!
Leave the shrimp in the tank for 72 hours. That's it. It may even visibly rot, or envelope in some type of mucous. That's what needs to happen. As the shrimp rots, ammonia is released into the water, and bacteria is growing exponentially, spreading into the substrate. The water may even look a little cloudy, which is totally normal and nothing to be concerned about. After three days, remove the shrimp and throw it away. It is no longer needed. Test for ammonia and see what it measures. It should read at the very least 1ppm, or higher.
Test the aquarium daily for Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate, logging the information on graph paper or perhaps in a spreadsheet or app. The more data points you collect over time will graph the rise and fall of each of these parameters. No livestock of any kind should be placed in the aquarium as long as you have any measurable traces of ammonia or nitrite because these are toxic to fish and invertebrates. Start planning what you'll want to put in your aquarium while you have a few weeks to wait. There's no reason to rush this process. A good solid foundation will benefit your future reef and handle the bioload adequately.
Also - If you are running the system with a sump that has a refugium or Algae Turf Scrubber section, don't add any light or plants because the system is too clean.

Did you read the thread from the beginning?

I am using bottled bacteria, which doesn’t take 21 days to cycle.

I 100% understand the cycling process, as I have kept freshwater tanks for over 6 years.

My readings are showing this:

Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 5ppm
pH: 8.2

This is cycled, correct?

——

I did also mentioned above that I knew API test kits are faulty, but it’s all I have now.

I have been testing for 3 days in a row, and all have remained the same.

 

[James_O]

Damsels, chromis and clowns are cheap and hardy for starters.

Are clowns hardier than gobys?

 

[vetteguy53081]

Did you read the thread from the beginning?

I am using bottled bacteria, which doesn’t take 21 days to cycle.

I 100% understand the cycling process, as I have kept freshwater tanks for over 6 years.

My readings are showing this:



This is cycled, correct?

——

I did also mentioned above that I knew API test kits are faulty, but it’s all I have now.

I have been testing for 3 days in a row, and all have remained the same.

I dont trust a single reading from API and cant say your tank is indeed cycled. Additionally, the cycling time and process for a FW tank and saltwater tank Do differ.
I would suggest to take a water sample to a trusted store that does NOT use API test kits for testing and see what results they come up with and for comparison.

 

[James_O]

I dont trust a single reading from API and cant say your tank is indeed cycled. Additionally, the cycling time and process for a FW tank and saltwater tank Do differ.
I would suggest to take a water sample to a trusted store that does NOT use API test kits for testing and see what results they come up with and for comparison.

What accurate test kit do you suggest?

 

[iMi]

What accurate test kit do you suggest?

I use RedSea and trust it. I would not recommend API. It’s just not as accurate.

 

[Camaro Show Corals]

Is it possible that there was some algae inside that died, and now that nitrate is leaking out?



Ok, Thank you! I may actually be getting my Goby tomorrow, if they have it!

——

I think I figured out why I have much higher nitrates in my 29g than I do my freshwater tanks.

I think it’s because I don’t dose Seachem Prime in my saltwater tank.

Prime detoxifies Ammonia, Nitrite, and nitrate. I don’t use Prime in my saltwater tank, because the RO/DI system takes out all the chlorine anyway.

Should I dose Prime to the tank and see if that helps?

What type of rodi do you have?

 

[iMi]

I’ve always used bottled bacteria, never once lost a fish or coral to cycling. The whole thing is way overblown, in my opinion. Not rocket science. Hell, ammonia isn’t even toxic to corals. Two weeks and done. Cycling is cake. Maturing a tank is a different story.

 

[James_O]

What type of rodi do you have?

RO Buddie with the DI cartridge.

I’ve always used bottled bacteria, never once lost a fish or coral to cycling. The whole thing is way overblown, in my opinion. Not rocket science. Hell, ammonia isn’t even toxic to corals. Two weeks and done. Cycling is cake. Maturing a tank is a different story.

What does maturing entail?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Is it possible that there was some algae inside that died, and now that nitrate is leaking out?

Usually, you can see dead algae on rocks.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Hell, ammonia isn’t even toxic to corals.

I think that is an exaggeration. Low levels are useful to corals, but while there are few published studies, higher levels (0.1 ppm and above) do appear to cause toxicity.