Why are my nitrites .50?

[footfungus84]

20 gal tank
Cycle complete 7/4 ( 0ppm )

2 clowns (7/10)
1 damsel (7/10
1 yasha goby (7/20)
1 neon cleaner goby 7/20
1 lawnmower blenny
1 fire shrimp 7/20
2 trochus snails
3 nassarious snails 7/10
3 hammers 7/25
1 gsp 7/20
1 Duncan 7/23
1 zoa 7/23
1 mushroom 7/23
Parameters
kh- 9
Ph- 8.0-8.2ppm (looks in between)
Amm- 0
Nitrite- 0.50ppm
Nitrate- 20ppm
Phos- 0.25ppm

Recent spike in nitrite, done a 20% water change vacuumed substrate “live sand lfs” 1 week ago brought nitrite level down to 0.25ppm

1 wave maker, hob filter/ protein skimmer
Now almost 1 week after change (1 day away) nitrite went back up 0.50ppm
Our Duncan has died, skeleton present and head coming off. Believe the hammer is suspect as skeleton started showing on the side the hammer is facing, Everything else is okay.

 

[vetteguy53081]

20 gal tank
Cycle complete 7/4 ( 0ppm )

2 clowns (7/10)
1 damsel (7/10
1 yasha goby (7/20)
1 neon cleaner goby 7/20
1 lawnmower blenny
1 fire shrimp 7/20
2 trochus snails
3 nassarious snails 7/10
3 hammers 7/25
1 gsp 7/20
1 Duncan 7/23
1 zoa 7/23
1 mushroom 7/23
Parameters
kh- 9
Ph- 8.0-8.2ppm (looks in between)
Amm- 0
Nitrite- 0.50ppm
Nitrate- 20ppm
Phos- 0.25ppm

Recent spike in nitrite, done a 20% water change vacuumed substrate “live sand lfs” 1 week ago brought nitrite level down to 0.25ppm

1 wave maker, hob filter/ protein skimmer
Now almost 1 week after change (1 day away) nitrite went back up 0.50ppm
Our Duncan has died, skeleton present and head coming off. Believe the hammer is suspect as skeleton started showing on the side the hammer is facing, Everything else is okay.

Likely because there is a lot of stocking done in a short span of time and tank likely at capacity and also feeding of a lot of mouths in which filter is just keeping up with this load

 

[14 foot reef]

^^^^ What @vetteguy53081 said.

Please pump the brakes on this set up, I believe in the next month, this is going to get much much worse. Do you have a friend or mentor near you in the hobby ? How is your LFS for knowledge ?
Let us know your favorite ways of learning, books, videos, conversation ?
Then we can guide you in a direction of success.

 

[Fish Fan]

Sorry you're having some difficulties here!

I agree with the previous posters, you've got a lot of fish in a 20 gallon, and you've got a mix of three very aggressive fish; the Clowns and the Damsel, so watch for aggression with this mix (if not now, then as the fish mature). Please consider maybe giving some back to the store for now.

Beyond over stocking, this could also be just test kit error. Hobby level kits are just not going to give laboratory accuracy.

Either way, there is zero concern about nitrite in a reef tank, it's simply not toxic like it is in freshwater tanks, and I don't think it alone is the cause of your problems. Here's a post from RHF with a link you can follow for more information on nitrite toxicity in marine tanks, but short story, it's a non-issue, and many here don't test for it at all:
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/nitrite-toxicity.402708/post-4805029
Usually, the corals don't do well most would look towards lighting, flow and parameters. You're nitrate and phosphate are not bad, but with LPS corals not doing well, this could be related to low Alk, and less likely low calc or mag. Do you test for those parameters?

What's your lighting and flow? Can you post a pic of the tank, often helps a lot?

Good luck!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I’m going to remove the emergency tag.

Ignore nitrite except that it is probably giving false high nitrate. It is not lethal to fish even at levels 100 times the posted level. :)

 

[14 foot reef]

Love how this was an emergency then OP never checks back in for help.
My #1 issue with mentoring or advising openly in these types of forums.

 

[Fish Fan]

Love how this was an emergency then OP never checks back in for help.
My #1 issue with mentoring or advising openly in these types of forums.

I feel you, but I like to think that someone in the future may see the replies, and it may help them at that time.

 

[jodilea95]

Love how this was an emergency then OP never checks back in for help.
My #1 issue with mentoring or advising openly in these types of forums.

There is ways you can mentor but coming off very rude makes people shy away from asking for help.
It’s okay to give constructive criticism but not in so much as a way that people no longer want to come forward.
I first came to this forum because I seemed to believe I saw wonderful people helping others but then there is you. There is always a few rotten apples in the batch.
Maybe consider your choice of words.
Putting kind words at the end of a rotten beginning is subpar.
This hobby is very new to many. newcomers will absolutely make mistakes it’s a part of learning thank goodness for educating LFS

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Rudeness aside, the point he made is a good one. This member posted an emergency call for help last Thursday at 8:50 pm and literally has not logged on again since that posting. So anyone who took their time to answer wasted their time since the op has not seen any responses in the past week.

 

[jodilea95]

Rudeness aside, the point he made is a good one. This member posted an emergency call for help last Thursday at 8:50 pm and literally has not logged on again since that posting. So anyone who took their time to answer wasted their time since the op has not seen any responses in the past week.

Should’ve replied to his first comment as it was directed towards that.

 

[14 foot reef]

Should’ve replied to his first comment as it was directed towards that.

How is this rude ? Please publicly explain, as I thought this was very supportive. hmmmmm

^^^^ What @vetteguy53081 said.

Please pump the brakes on this set up, I believe in the next month, this is going to get much much worse. Do you have a friend or mentor near you in the hobby ? How is your LFS for knowledge ?
Let us know your favorite ways of learning, books, videos, conversation ?
Then we can guide you in a direction of success.

 

[BryanM]

I suspect this will be a quick exit from the hobby, sadly.

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

I agree I don't think what he said was rude. I think people need to be mindful of what they tag as emergencies.

 

[14 foot reef]

I suspect this will be a quick exit from the hobby, sadly.

Careful with your answers, you may hurt "one" of the members feelings..... LOL

 

[Should I]

Careful with your answers, you may hurt "one" of the members feelings..... LOL

gotta watch what you say too the snowflakes they break easy

 

[ChrisfromBrick]

lets not start name calling. I think the point was made by both sides.

 

[GSPClown94]

How is this rude ? Please publicly explain, as I thought this was very supportive. hmmmmm

^^^^ What @vetteguy53081 said.

Please pump the brakes on this set up, I believe in the next month, this is going to get much much worse. Do you have a friend or mentor near you in the hobby ? How is your LFS for knowledge ?
Let us know your favorite ways of learning, books, videos, conversation ?
Then we can guide you in a direction of success.

Very rude and potentially dangerous advice if OP has ABS installed. Pumping the brakes with ABS can result in a crash.

 

[14 foot reef]

Very rude and potentially dangerous advice if OP has ABS installed. Pumping the brakes with ABS can result in a crash.