High Nritite Level

alexandrews

Reefing newb
I recently checked my water chemistry (chlorine, nitrite, ph and alkalinity) after doing 25% water change the day before and everything was perfect except for the nitrite. Before my nitrite was always around .5 ppm and now it showed 3 ppm. Is this in "safe zone" or should i do another water change? Also, i thought my tank was finished cycling after three weeks, does the 3ppm nitrite mean my tank is still cycling?

- Thanks alot
 
yes any nitrite can be fatal to any live animals in the tank. do some water changes to get it to drop if you have any animals in the tank or if you dont have any animals just leave it be
 
There's a chance that in a new tank, your nitrites will spike anytime you change something up -- adding new animals, moving or adding rocks, moving or adding sand, changing filtration... New tanks are fickle, and that's why it's best to do things slowly and leave time in between changes.
 
One week experience and you already have a damsel in the tank?

Why..........

Take the poor fish out and let the tank continue to cycle naturally for about 3 or 4 weeks. If you have any other animals in there - remove them too. And the LFS that told you to start the tank with a damsel - you should stop going to them in the future.
 
I did another water change and the nitrite levels are still around 3ppm. Im freaking out now because it wont go down with water changes. Does areation help?
 
How long would they spike for because its been over a week of nitrite at 3ppm. I did another water change and the nitrite levels are still around 3ppm. Im freaking out now because it wont go down with water changes. Does areation help
 
aeration won't help. Are you sure you testing kit is good? Right after you do a significant water change (say 10-20%) you really ought to see a decrease in your nitrites... unless for some reason your new water has nitrites in it.
 
Im pretty sure my test kit is good, i just bought a new one to make sure and had the same results even with two major 20% water changes. I tested my new water and it had no nitrite but the tank water was still at 3ppm with the new water. Im begining to think there is some food decaying in a corner or maybe something is somethhing decaying in one of the shells in the aquarium.
 
did you do these tests immediately after the water change? If so, there should still be a decrease in nitrite, because it takes time to get back up to the level it was at. what range of concentration does your test kit test for?

Ok, do you have any filters or sponges in your system? bioballs? How much live rock do you have? how many fish?
 
i did the test right after and a day later and it was still high. The test kit goes between 0 and 10ppm and is one of those dip stick ones. I have one power filter and no live rock which now im thinking i need. I got two fish, yellow tail damsel and a clown fish. My damsel appears to be really happy and eating but my clown is not eating and hanging out on top of the tank. How long can they live with 3ppm nitritite?
 
they wont live long unfortunately nitrites will eventually burn there gills and they will die. there should be no fish in the tank unitl nitrites are at 0. and most of the people on here will tell you the dipstick test arent good so go to your LFS and get a different test kit and also surface aeration will help some
 
you will actually need a better test kit to know actually what to do, first get some surface aeration going on to help and then do water changes but it will have to do the cycling on its own. you can do water changes about every three days to help but you will just have to be patient that is the biggest thing in this hobby is patience and frustraion and get those poor fish out of there cuz high nitrites are harmful and they dont need to be put through the torture.
 
do about a 40 %water change then do smaller ones every 3 to 4 days to help. that is what we had to do when we changed to our 210 gal and my husband is impatient but it has to take its course. sorry
 
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