Can some former live rock that has been dry for 10+ years trigger sky high nitrites and nitrates in a week?

[belabaru]

Hi there!

 

Here is the data:

14 gallon tank running for 9 days now.

Airstone to help with surface agitation (will be out once the cycle is over)

475 GPH tunze powerhead

Live sand from Nature´s Ocean.

Aprox 15 pounds of live rock from another tank I had back in the day and that has been dry for aprox 10 years (stored in a couple window boxes outside my home)

Fritzyme9 added following manufacturer instructions.

Added literally 4-5 frozen brineshrimp 3-4 days ago.

 

I live in Europe and I use Sera tests.

Measured NO2 and NO3 yesterday and they are off the scale. Rocket sky high

Edit to say that the tests were tried with tap water and with water from other tanks and they seem fine.

How can this happen in a week?

And both no2 and no3 so high at the same time?

Is it posible than the rock has something so bad and so rotten inside that can cause this even after all these years?

 

I have been in the hobby for 40+ years and, honestly, I do not know what to think.

Any input would be helpfull

 

[mcarroll]

7 hours ago, belabaru said:

Measured NO2 and NO3 yesterday and they are off the scale. Rocket sky high

Edit to say that the tests were tried with tap water and with water from other tanks and they seem fine.

Any chance you have a LFS that could duplicate your test (again) just to make double-sure?

 

7 hours ago, belabaru said:

How can this happen in a week?

And both no2 and no3 so high at the same time?

Is it posible than the rock has something so bad and so rotten inside that can cause this even after all these years?

Doesn't seem likely that something inside the rock would still have soluble nutrients in it...but if we just assume there is "something" in there, I guess the bacteria in the Fritzyme would have activated the cycle in a hurry (that's what the product is for), thus you "instantly" have nitrites and nitrates.

 

Still seems like a curious situation.

 

Any idea how long levels have been like that?  The whole 9 days?  

 

If you do a 100% water change, I wonder if NO2 and NO3 would peak like this again?  

 

100% water change is my suggestion.....along with getting a second opinion on the water testing, if possible.

 

Are you measuring ammonia?  Any reading there?

[belabaru]

9 hours ago, mcarroll said:

Any chance you have a LFS that could duplicate your test (again) just to make double-sure?

 

Doesn't seem likely that something inside the rock would still have soluble nutrients in it...but if we just assume there is "something" in there, I guess the bacteria in the Fritzyme would have activated the cycle in a hurry (that's what the product is for), thus you "instantly" have nitrites and nitrates.

 

Still seems like a curious situation.

 

Any idea how long levels have been like that?  The whole 9 days?  

 

If you do a 100% water change, I wonder if NO2 and NO3 would peak like this again?  

 

100% water change is my suggestion.....along with getting a second opinion on the water testing, if possible.

 

Are you measuring ammonia?  Any reading there?

I have been keeping only freshwater for the last 15 years, so I can honestly say I have become a lazy bugger when it comes to water testing. Amonia and nitrites until the tank was cycled and then forget about it (I am talking about freshwater here)

That means that, when I set this new saltwater tank up, most tests had expired.

I bought new no2 and no3 tests. NH3-NH4 was not available.

I did not measure anything until the tank was running for aprox a week because, frankly, I was not expecting to find anything. So I cannot tell when the no2 and no3 spike started.

I can take the water for a test at my LFS but not before saturday.

So I guess I will give the tank 3-4 more days to see what happens and, if the level are still that high, I will do the water change.

I am in no hurry anyways, but just wanted to share this info with you just to see your thoughts and opinions.

Thanks

 

[mcarroll]

If you keep watching nitrite and it doesn't drop I think there's something wrong with the test(s).  NO2 should continue to be converted to NO3 if things "proceed according to plan".

[belabaru]

Could it be, for any strange reason, the salt?

It is the only thing left in the ecuation. 

A bad batch,  polluted or something?

[anizato]

what salt is it? some manufacturers track their batches and maybe there is a report on it already. long shot.

 

I also think the bacteria  you added activated something that has been long dead on that rock. 

 

and I also say 100% WC on Saturday when you can visit the LFS, take them a sample of the old water, AND new water. (your source water, we cannot discard this factor either) and have the LFS test both of them.

 

 

[belabaru]

The salt is Pro-reef by Tropic Marin

[anizato]

damn, it can't be the salt, they are pretty solid. 

[mcarroll]

Even Tropic Marin has had batch issues....but I kinda doubt that's it in this case.  Maybe @belabaru can test a fresh mixed batch of saltwater to be sure?

 

I also think OP already tested their tap water and didn't see anything like his tank readings....so source water isn't it.

[belabaru]

Will try the test tomorrow with fresh mixed saltwater and let you know.

Thanks!!

[belabaru]

Hi folks!

Finally, I did not take my water to my lfs for a test to see if my own kit was defective as I did another test at home on sunday morning and the nitritres were much lower.

I still do not know what caused the nitrites and nitrates to go so high at the same time and so quickly but it seems that, finally, bacteria has begun to manage it.

I guess the process will take another 2 or 3 days and then I can make a water change and start thinking about putting some life in the tank.

 

See you!!