High Nitrite in Old Salt Water Aquarium
My Nitrite level is off the chart, more than 5.0. I have done an 80% water change, the nitrite level goes down to about less than 2.0 then in just a few days it is back up. My ammonia is practically undetectable, nitrate is less than 1.0 and my ph is alwa
My Nitrite level is off the chart, more than 5.0. I have done an 80% water change, the nitrite level goes down to about less than 2.0 then in just a few days it is back up. My ammonia is practically undetectable, nitrate is less than 1.0 and my ph is alwa You have an unusual problem, normally nitrite is a fleeting substance in the aquarium as it is produced as ammonia is turned into nitrate. The cycle is well known, nitrosomonas takes ammonia and breaks it into nitrite and then nitrobacter takes the nitrite and reduces it to nitrate. As you can see, there are two different bacteria at work to do this naturally, and it does take time for a new tank to establish the correct number of nitrobacter to do the job, that is why there is the 21 day period in a new break-in. Your tank is over two years old, so this should not be a problem. But it is important to note that nitrobacter is the most vulnerable bacteria in a tank, it can be shut down in the presence of ammonia and it is highly predated by other strains.My personal way to attack the problem would be to use a product called Cycle - it is a live bacterial preparation that includes billions of lithotrophs (nitrosomonas and nitrobacter )as well as an active team of heterotrophs to clean up the area around the nitrifiers. They all work together to do the biological filter job. Cycle is meant to be added on a weekly basis, you cannot overdose, and over time it creates a bias towards the bacterial team in the bottle. This will clean a bit, but in the long run, the lithotrophs become a dominant strain, out-competing the less desirable bacteria and forcing them to die down. The result is a healthier aquarium and purer water with less possibility of a sudden attack by bacterial parasites.Look on the website for more information on the benefits of competitive exclusion and the Cycle product.
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