Damn Nitrites - Just will not drop.....

[roccov12345]

Hey all, I'm hoping someone may have experienced something along these lines that can help me out.

 

I started a 5.5 gallon sw tank about two months ago.

 

It's running about 7lbs of live rock/live sand, an ac70 modded refuge with chaeto and LR rubble.

 

I cannot get my Nitrites down to 0. I don't understand what my cycling problem is. I've had ammonia come and go and has maintained itself at 0. I have nitrates at about 5ppm but I cannot get my Nitrite level down below .05 ppm. I've tried 3 different test kits but all had the same reading.

 

Right now I'm facing a major brown diatom problem, or what I think is brown diatom. If I scrape the glass it will come back in a matter of 2 hours. I know this is probably non-related to my nitrite problem but maybe it's a indicator of my nitrogen cycle.

 

Anyway and again, its been 2 months since my first addition of Live Rock. I would tend to think I should be cycled by now.......

[Maddevil1]

First of all, ditch the LR rubble. Maybe add some chemipure elite and/or purigen.

 

Please list all of your parameters. What type of water are you using? Do you have a CUC?

[Kietn23]

its his live sand.

[Lawnman]

.5 ppm nitrates is not bad. Just keep doing frequent water changes and feed every 3 days they will come down.

[pisces4u]

.5 ppm nitrates is not bad. Just keep doing frequent water changes and feed every 3 days they will come down.

 

True, but his problem is with nitrite, not nitrate.

 

I'd make sure there is nothing rotting somewhere in the tank like a dead snail, sponge, or dead macro algae.

 

I would go ahead with some water changes like 2g each three times over a week and make sure you siphon your live sand well. Take a turkey baster and blow off your live rock forcefully also and make sure to hit the caves and crevices to blow out anything that may be dead.

[Lawnman]

Oops read that wrong. Small screen on the iphone.

[Warehouse41Ant]

+1 to ditching the LR rubble, put it in your tank if you want it there, it's not helping in the AC70

+1 make sure nothing is dead somewhere in the tank

 

I'm assuming you have a CUC, if not, get some Astrea snails(probably just two or 3 for that tank), they'll go to town on the diatom bloom (which is probably the incredibly fast-growing brown stuff).

 

Chances are something is wrong with testing. I know you've tried 3 kits, but I would be surprised if you still have .05ppm nitrite with 5ppm nitrate. That said, don't do a water change for a couple weeks (assuming no other livestock is present), let the nitrates build to 15-20 ppm, see if that takes care of it. After you see nitrites drop to 0, do a 50% water change. Nitrates are what get rid of nitrites. If you've been doing water changes and removing nitrate, there may not be enough build up yet to zero out the nitrites. This is about the only idea I have. Full posting of params may help some others, but it's really unlikely that calcium or mag is affecting your nitrite level.

[roccov12345]

Ok onto the specifics.....I appreciate the help all!

 

PH = 8.2 at 9th hour of photo period (I'm running a 10 hour total photoperiod)

Nitrite = .05

Nitrate = .5

Ammonia = 0

Salinity holding steady at 1.026

 

I have somewhat of a clean up crew. It consists of 1 sally light foot crab and 3 astrea snails.

 

So you all seem to agree on ditching the LR rubble from the AC70....?

 

 

 

 

I will add that the diatom bloom seems to be calming down a bit. The brown is still visible but not nearly as bad as it was last week.

[jeremai]

The rubble will be more beneficial in the AC70 than in the tank, due to higher direct flow. Just make sure detritus doesn't collect (ie, move it around once in a while) and it will only be a benefit.

 

Also, nitrites means something, somewhere is dying. imo, don't do any waterchanges and let the tank finish cycling. two months is long, but it's not outside the realm of possibility.

[masterbuilder]

Right...what jeremai said. Bet things are still dying off even after its been this long, just wait a little bit more. If you still have the problem in a few more weeks...then I would look elsewhere for the solution.

[Bamato]

On a side note, aren't sally lightfoots bad?

[bird]

I have been dong some reading on Prodibio digest and Microbacter 7. One of these may be the answer.

[roccov12345]

Ok, so after reading through the responses I went digging through the tank last night to see if I could find anything rotting, dying etc. I did not find anything specifically dying although when I went into the dark abyss of the AC70, my live rock rubble was coated in detrius (sp?). I stirred it up a bit and it was nasty...I could actually smell it after I messed with it. I'm assuming there lies my problem. I thought the AC70 would of had enough flow to keep the LR fresh but I forgot that I had turned the GPH down all the way because it was stirring up the sand bed pretty hard with it turned up.

 

Your thoughts. Could this be my problem?

[masterbuilder]

Yes..I would think at least a contributing factor. Turn it up as high as you can. Let it blow the sand around a bit..... your sand will eventually find its place. Better a less than perfect sand bed than low flow. IMO...the right flow is one of the most major keys to success.

 

I know that some people use rubble with success in their HOB but I feel the downside outweighs any potential benefits anyway. I had rubble in my rear chambers at one time and had the same detritus problem. Several have pointed out that the small quantity of rubble, compared to the amount of rock in your tank, adds very little nitrification even under ideal conditions in the first place. Me… I would only use floss, carbon and GFO (all changed often) or convert it to a fuge with macro algae’s. My 2 cents.

[roccov12345]

Yes..I would think at least a contributing factor. Turn it up as high as you can. Let it blow the sand around a bit..... your sand will eventually find its place. Better a less than perfect sand bed than low flow. IMO...the right flow is one of the most major keys to success.

 

I know that some people use rubble with success in their HOB but I feel the downside outweighs any potential benefits anyway. I had rubble in my rear chambers at one time and had the same detritus problem. Several have pointed out that the small quantity of rubble, compared to the amount of rock in your tank, adds very little nitrification even under ideal conditions in the first place. Me… I would only use floss, carbon and GFO (all changed often) or convert it to a fuge with macro algae’s. My 2 cents.

 

I'm pretty much using the same understanding as you. I really don't see a few pieces of rubble contributing to much when the tank controls probably 98% of the LR. I'm going to ditch the rubble tonight and just add it to the display tank. Right now, the HOB as a nice ball of chaeto in it and filter floss. GFO>? sorry...

 

I know you also mentioned to turn it up, meaning the HOB, I just wanted to note that I also have a SEIO P320 powerhead running. There is quite the bit of flow although I can never tell when its too much. I haven't been in the hobby long enough.....