Nitrite (NO2)

[blueheaven]

Seriously to me, cycling the water means that you establish a sizable bacterial population that is able to immediately tackle any ammonia, nitrite and nitrate additions.

[Achilles Tang]

'cycling the water' -

Probably an archaic LFS term for swishing the water around in a new tank and ensuring sufficient salt dissolving before filling up with fish and corals immediately?

[rainbowdarter]

OK..my tank not new..already 1yr plus.

I'd change 90% of water after encounter my NO3 at high side

after changing 25% week 1 then 50% week 2.

Even my ammonia is always @ 0.25ppm.

Then decide to change 90% of water.

Tank is 3x1.5x1.5ft

I'm using sump filter.

With Tropic Marin Elimi-Phos and Seachem denitrate run in eheim canister with low flow.

Later will test again...and if still the same, will get another brand of tester.

Any recommendation? pls PM

[Reefbum]

OK..my tank not new..already 1yr plus.

I'd change 90% of water after encounter my NO3 at high side

after changing 25% week 1 then 50% week 2.

Even my ammonia is always @ 0.25ppm.

Then decide to change 90% of water.

Tank is 3x1.5x1.5ft

I'm using sump filter.

With Tropic Marin Elimi-Phos and Seachem denitrate run in eheim canister with low flow.

Later will test again...and if still the same, will get another brand of tester.

Any recommendation? pls PM

I think I know what is the problem here.Your canister.

[Ekia]

Seriously, I dont know what u r trying to say. When I first asked you whether your is still cycling, u said 'Yes'. Now you say your tank is 1 year plus already.... Anyway, changing 90% of the water is very stressful of the livestocks....

Normally, to have a sudden spike of NH4/NO2 for a matured tank would imply a sudden increase in bio-load(stock too fast) whereby the bacteria cannot handle the increased amount of NH4 produced.

Another reason might be a sudden decreased of bacteria population. Do you have any biological filtration and you washed them recently? Maybe u have accidently killed all the bacterias which caused the NO2 spike.

[rainbowdarter]

The canister?

There only phospate and denitator media only act like fluidize reactor.

Sorry for the confusion, cos after relocate my LS to another tank and changing 90% of water I pressumed that I still need to do recycling of "new" water.

Just test again NO3... 40mg/l

Will get another brand test kid later.

[Reefbum]

The canister?

There only phospate and denitator media only act like fluidize reactor.

Not the same as actual fluidize reactor.Your media inside the canister is breeding ground for nitrates coz all the 'rubbish' get stuck there.For the media to really work is to have very good flow and plenty of oxygen.

[tineng]

OK..my tank not new..already 1yr plus.

I'd change 90% of water after encounter my NO3 at high side

after changing 25% week 1 then 50% week 2.

Even my ammonia is always @ 0.25ppm.

Then decide to change 90% of water.

Tank is 3x1.5x1.5ft

I'm using sump filter.

With Tropic Marin Elimi-Phos and Seachem denitrate run in eheim canister with low flow.

Later will test again...and if still the same, will get another brand of tester.

Any recommendation? pls PM

errrr....you might want to buy a new test kit for your NH4....i have a Sera NH4 test kit before, it was working ok the first time i open it....but after 3 months, when decide to start another tank, can never seems to get it to zero.....at first though it was my new tank, but tried on existing tank same reading!!!! then realise that my test kit might have expire....

anyway go borrow or buy another test kit and see how first....