nitrites not that toxic?

[beeguiles]

So I found this article online.

Nitrite and the Reef Aquarium by Randy Holmes-Farley - Reefkeeping.com

It talks about how nitrites are actually not that toxic to saltwater fish. Only in very high concentrations. So does this mean that when cycling a tank, after the ammonia comes down to zero the tank is cycled? Safe to add livestock? Im waiting for nitrites to come down to zero anyways just to give me peace of mind but is this article accurate. That nitrites really aren't as toxic to marine fish and inverts as we think?

 

[Smitty]

Idk...i think they aren't "as" toxic as ammonia, but can still make livestock suffer...to the point of death.

 

[beeguiles]

Yea they aren't as toxic as ammonia. But if you read the charts in the article it says that the fish showed no signs until 330ppm of nitrite. That's quite a bit. Even when our tanks cycle the nitrite never gets that high.

 

[beeguiles]

Yea they aren't as toxic as ammonia. But if you see the charts in the article. It shows that the fish doesn't react to the nitrite until 330ppm. Our tanks never have nitrite that high, even while cycling.

 

[beeguiles]

Woops I didn't think the first one went thru. My bad haha

 

[Ulta]

An aquarium's nitrite level should not come anywhere close to the LC[SIZE=-1]50[/SIZE] value, because less severe toxicity can occur even at levels below that. In the previous section, I showed data on one marine species in which biochemical effects could be detected at levels well below concentrations that caused death. We saw, for example, a rise in methemoglobin at values as low as 46 ppm nitrite. However, the point remains valid that marine species are orders of magnitude less susceptible to the effects of nitrite than are many freshwater species. The marine aquaculture industry often uses a rough guideline that the safe rearing level of many compounds is a factor of 10 or less than their LC[SIZE=-1]50[/SIZE].[SIZE=-1]30[/SIZE]

Just because the LC50 value (Death Value) is 330 or 344 in the case of the clown fish. doesn't mean it doesnt do damage. In fact it says right there that they reccomend 10% or less. So you could start doing damage to your clown at around 34ppm nitrite.

Also, that damage is done internally to their respiratory system and their ability to process oxygen. And I don't believe it is very easy to study when exactly it will start to do damage that will degrade their overall ability to process oxegen for the rest of their little fishy life.

Think of it like causing the fish Asthma for the rest of their life because it was exposed to nitrites.

That is how I see it anyways. And have read elsewhere that it gives this effect as well.

 

[sen5241b]

Keep in mind that some fish are more sensitive to bad chemistry than others. Mandarins will get sick at 20ppm nitrates.

 

[phastroh]

Yeah the article is sort of right but like Sen said some fish are more sensitive. Just like corals.

Having 0 Nitrates is not uncommon but having some is more common in my opinion. I have 0 now but I used to always have 20PPM.

I even had like 10PPM when I put the fish in the tank in my second tank. No-one died.

 

[beeguiles]

I agree phastroh, my nitrates are always between 5-15. That prlly bc I use tap water tho.