Wildy different results from api and salifert nitrite tests

[brandon429]

what I'm interested in knowing is Pendraegon, do you still want to post in your thread
hope this momentum didnt put untoward focus on your post, it was a nice rare comparison thread that falls in line with big themes in today's cycling evolution.

honestly curious where your cycle status exists, if you have pics and # of days underwater it will be neat to see how your system aligns with other bottle bac cycles if that's the case.

 

[pendraegon]

My setup is heater, koralia nano, hob filter that I dumped the bacteria directly into with 2 sponges and the ceramic biomedia. I plan on starting with observation because the source seems more trustworthy (biota) and the fish is very young. I'm on day 9 of the cycle attempt and my ammonia and nitrites per API seem to be unchanged from yesterday. My main goal was jumpstarting the biological filter for this tank because I don't have the DT running yet, I obtained my tank a couple weeks ago but needed to get help putting it on the stand.

The fish is coming Friday, so I think I'm going to do a full water change tonight, but leave the water in the hob to get the parameters as good as possible, I figure it shouldn't cause a problem for the bacteria that I grew, and I should be ahead of where I was if I just setup the tank and dropped the fish in. I'll probably add a little more bacteria as well.

 

[brandon429]

I see. Qt vs display gotcha.

two uplift sponge filters + ceramic media runs pretty much any quarantine bioload we see running in the disease forum provided the flow is decently aimed through the media, so you’re set for sure.

 

[pendraegon]

So I started the display tank cycle with Dr Tims and Fritz turbo ( I know it's overkill but I figure a little bacterial diversity couldn't hurt) added ammonia yesterday and I'm getting the same issues with the salifert and api kits, I think the salifert kit is a dud, it should pick up something if the api is detecting a pretty high level, but there isn't the slightest hint of color. I might get another kit just out of curiosity.

 

[brandon429]

gone

 

[brandon429]

no

 

[pendraegon]

if you'll consider testing my science I'll thank you heartily as well as be on the hook for any bad outcomes that may arise from using updated cycling science




see this clause from early post

' I had added Dr Tims and Fritz bacteria'

that means end of sept, or first of october added 24 hour speed cycle bac.

today is 14th

this tank, meaning specifically any submerged surface area that sat in contact with fritz this long, is 100% cycled. I have a thousand combined pages of threads assessing start dates meeting this detail, so post tank pics and add life. the cycle is ready, test no more.

Fritz has been meticulously tested to be ready in 24-48 hours max after adding. that means adhered to all surfaces, immune to a 100% water change. truly adhered.

you're at day 20.

move away from testing with me really. others have well-tested your cycle, and you are well past the completion dates were this all digital gear we were using. add life appropriate to your tank's surface area and volume.

do a nice water change before beginning, any amount will do.

Oh, this is a different tank, day 2. The observation tank, I did a 100% water change and has had the baby yellow tang for a week doing great. That is interesting though. Given the water volume of the display ( around 90gallons after taking rock and sand into account) i bet that I could just let the ammonia drop and be done with it, instead of adding ammonia 3 times like the Dr Tim method. I don't plan on adding a ton of fish to start and I've still got work to do setting up everything, but I hopefully will be done with that by the by the weekend

 

[MnFish1]

if you'll consider testing my science I'll thank you heartily as well as be on the hook for any bad outcomes that may arise from using updated cycling science




see this clause from early post

' I had added Dr Tims and Fritz bacteria'

that means end of sept, or first of october added 24 hour speed cycle bac.

today is 14th

this tank, meaning specifically any submerged surface area that sat in contact with fritz this long, is 100% cycled. I have a thousand combined pages of threads assessing start dates meeting this detail, so post tank pics and add life. the cycle is ready, test no more.

Fritz has been meticulously tested to be ready in 24-48 hours max after adding. that means adhered to all surfaces, immune to a 100% water change. truly adhered.

you're at day 20.

move away from testing with me really. others have well-tested your cycle, and you are well past the completion dates were this all digital gear we were using. add life appropriate to your tank's surface area and volume.

do a nice water change before beginning, any amount will do.

I would caution you to maybe 'ask for more information'. 1. How much ammonia did he add? Did he verify that number? Why do I ask - because even in Dr. Reef's experiments, when too much ammonia was added - the bacteria in a bottle did not function properly. I do not think you can say relatively much about his 'cycle'. JMO. Of course - its fine to play Russian roulette.

 

[Lasse]

, when too much ammonia was added - the bacteria in a bottle did not function properly.

There is scientific articles about high ammonia block the second step

Sincerely Lasse

 

[MnFish1]

Oh, this is a different tank, day 2. The observation tank, I did a 100% water change and has had the baby yellow tang for a week doing great. That is interesting though. Given the water volume of the display ( around 90gallons after taking rock and sand into account) i bet that I could just let the ammonia drop and be done with it, instead of adding ammonia 3 times like the Dr Tim method. I don't plan on adding a ton of fish to start and I've still got work to do setting up everything, but I hopefully will be done with that by the by the weekend

I agree - once the ammonia is zero - 1 tang in a 90 gallon tank (a small tang) is not likely to cause any problems. Given the way you did it, I would check nitrite (sorry @brandon429 ) just because of the way things have gone. BTW - you can still test Brandons 'new cycling science' - by testing - and ignoring the results.

 

[MnFish1]

@brandon429 - here is an idea - seriously. To test the 'new cycling science' - have people do the tests - but ignore the results. Then see what happens - THEN you have data that says 'my xxx was yyy' and nothing happened to the fish/tank/coral, etc

 

[pendraegon]

I agree - once the ammonia is zero - 1 tang in a 90 gallon tank (a small tang) is not likely to cause any problems. Given the way you did it, I would check nitrite (sorry @brandon429 ) just because of the way things have gone. BTW - you can still test Brandons 'new cycling science' - by testing - and ignoring the results.

I agree and will be testing, I did 320 drops of ammonia from the Dr tim kit, which should be good for 80 gallons, so a bit low because I'd rather not overshoot. It seems like continuing to give ammonia like what is recommended by Dr Tim doesn't make a ton of sense if I'm getting nitrates and the ammonia drops to zero. I effectively double dosed bacteria into my tank. I'm not in a huge rush though, trying to go slow to avoid major problems

 

[Reef.]

So I started the display tank cycle with Dr Tims and Fritz turbo ( I know it's overkill but I figure a little bacterial diversity couldn't hurt) added ammonia yesterday and I'm getting the same issues with the salifert and api kits, I think the salifert kit is a dud, it should pick up something if the api is detecting a pretty high level, but there isn't the slightest hint of color. I might get another kit just out of curiosity.

Salifert ammonia test is not great.

 

[brandon429]

Removed option

 

[MnFish1]

@brandon429 are you still boycotting my answers - I think it is a good idea for your 'new cycling science' to have data from what other hobbyists would do. I.e. check the tests - log them - and ignore them. The fact is - unless this is done - no - one has any idea whether what you're saying is true or not - even if the tests are 'in error'

 

[MnFish1]

agreed at that dilution + bottle bac you've done the worlds safest fish in cycle. we track it working well in far smaller dilution, on seneye posts. that's still the adherence time known for fritz anyway. Dr. T's is a fine mix as well, handles fish + bottle bac on day one in perhaps more tanks than any other mix.

I wouldnt concern further even on that particular tank, would ensure the surface area within is the maximum you want for the tank. fritz=speed adherence bac.

This is not a fish in cycle - ammonia was added - unless im not understanding. This is a mixture of concepts

 

[brandon429]

You can plainly see that reported answers may come incorrectly based on the kits used, I only want seneye measures.


am exiting because I don’t want to be part of assessments that omit digital data and use known mis testing kits as a replacement. If an unverified test read says bac are dead or half ready only, you all will agree without contest and buy or add more bacteria and especially: wait longer. No determined completion date, that’s opposite of how I reef. I don’t want anyone who participates in my work threads reefing or thinking in that hesitant, dependent manner… it’s bad for the hobby. Resolve in patterns already on file is good.

this is you guys’ work thread, fill it up with non digital tests and reactions if you want.


how you all can readily accept any stated param as fact, in this thread of mis testing comparison, and all the others, doesn’t shock me at all that’s the flip flop action I’m against.


you are about to make start date assessments using kits you have no idea if they’re correct, and every idea that they’ll read wildly different than other non digital kits

in a thread marked ‘wildly different results‘ you’re all ok with using the same kits even further to set actionable dates?


I bet we can get this reefer to listen

Nitrogen cycle: nitrites stuck

My 20 gallon tank has been cycling for 2 months and a half now, and somehow for 2 months ammonia was always there (1 ppm constant), i used a prawn and fish flakes for the first weeks and stopped because ammonia wasn't going away. only 2 weeks ago all the ammonia suddenly dropped to 0 and...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[DJSchlueter]

So I am doing a fishnets cycle of a tank with ammonia and bacteria in a bottle and have been testing for the cycle daily. I was using the api kit, but was having determining my nitrite level so I got the salifert kit to see if it was different... well I was concerned that my nitrite could be above 5ppm with api, but it seems to read zero with salifert... did I get a bad batch of reagent?

Long time since the OP...
This is comparing Salifert Nitrate test to API Nitrite test.
Two separate tests. You're not testing for the same between the two.

 

[MnFish1]

totally confused - by the entire thing.

 

[DJSchlueter]

Long time since the OP...
This is comparing Salifert Nitrate test to API Nitrite test.
Two separate tests. You're not testing for the same between the two.

Correcting myself, quick Google search shows the same pink coloration for the Salifert Nitrite test. I only have the nitrate. Same color