Nitrite test results???

[sdergar]

I cycled my tank with three shrimp but as mentioned in earlier posts I think I had mostly cured rock so no huge cycle happened. The one thing that I'm curious about is if there is no ammonia, and nitrates are 0 as well why am I getting 0.1 or 0.05 on my nitrite tests. Would there be any reason to have some nitrites but no ammonia or nitrates? I took a sample in to the LFS a couple of weeks ago and they showed no nitrites. Could the test be off? I'm using the Red Sea Marine test kit with the addition of the Calcium Pro kit as an addition. How accurate are these tests?

Steve

My parameters as of yesterday:

temp 79.5
sg 1.025
ph 8.4
alk 3.2
ammonia 0.0
nitrites 0.1 or 0.05
nitrates 0.0
calcium 390

 

[Ziggy953]

Keep testing your water every couple days. I would recommend you get some PWCs going since you already have fish in the system.

 

[pat8you]

It is possible that you are just in the middle of your cycle. You will soon start seeing the nitrites being converted into nitrates.

 

[sdergar]

I've been doing the pwc's every week so far. I'm just curious what would cause a trace of nitrite and if the test could actually be off? The tank has actually finished the cycle about a month or so ago.

Thanks...Steve

 

[Ziggy953]

What kind of water are you using??

 

[sdergar]

RO/DI

 

[cmor1701d]

Is there an expiration date on the nitrite test kit? If the lfs reads 0 and you are reading more than that, you should try another test kit.

 

[Ziggy953]

I agree with Cmor....might be time for another test kit just to verify results. Even if you just got the kit it could be expired. Check for expiration dates.

 

[ccCapt]

Don't worry about nitrites. They would have to get to around the 300 ppm point before they had an affect on any fish. Just make sure your ammonia and nitrates test results are accurate.

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

 

[cmor1701d]

Larry,

I think we have different takes on that article. I see some species being affected at 20ppm.

I'm typing this at the airport so I didnt' cut and paste from the article.

 

[ccCapt]

From the article....
"Marine species are less susceptible to nitrite toxicity because chloride (at 19,350 ppm in seawater) outcompetes nitrite for the same uptake mechanisms. Nevertheless, it is possible for some marine fish to take up nitrite via both their gills and their intestines after swallowing seawater. For example, when exposed to 46 ppm nitrite in seawater, the European flounder (Platichthys flesus) takes up 66% of its nitrite via intestinal routes.[SIZE=-1]24[/SIZE] Further, its internal nitrite concentration was found to remain below the ambient nitrite level in the water. At these concentrations, there was some alteration of internal biochemical parameters (such as an increase in methemoglobin levels from 4% in nonexposed fish to 18% of hemoglobin in exposed fish). Nevertheless, there were no mortalities under these conditions, and the difference between this result and what is often observed in freshwater fish at similar nitrite concentrations is attributed to differences in their internal nitrite concentrations."
"In the only published article[SIZE=-1]26[/SIZE] that I could find showing toxicity tests to typical reef aquarium fish, Tom Frakes and Bob Studt exposed tank-raised clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris; Figure 2) to nitrite concentrations ranging from 0 to 330 ppm in artificial seawater. Two of five fish died after a few days at 330 ppm, giving an LC[SIZE=-1]50[/SIZE] not appreciably different from the other species listed in Table 1. At 33 ppm (the next dose down from 330 ppm), the fish were lethargic and breathing with difficulty, but otherwise experienced no lasting problems. At 3.3 ppm nitrite no effects were observed."

From the chart in the article showing fish and the nitrite levels which affected them:
[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Clownfish[/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Amphiprion ocellaris[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1] - 344[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Milkfish[/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Chanos chanos[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1] - 344[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Japanese eel[/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=-1][SIZE=-1]Anguilla japonica[/SIZE][/SIZE][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1] - 302[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Common eel[/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Anguilla anguilla[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1] - 3,200[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]European Sea bass[/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Dicentrarchus labrax[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1] - 500-800[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Spotted seatrout[/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Cynoscion nebulosus[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1] - 980[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Sparid[/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Diplodus sargus[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1] - 1,360[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Cod[/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Gaidropsarus capensis[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1] - 2,210[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Sole[/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Heteromycteris capensis[/SIZE][/FONT][/SIZE][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1] - 2,440[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Sparid[/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Lithognathus mormyrus[/SIZE] - [/FONT][/SIZE][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]1,230[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Atlantic salmon[/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Salmo salar[/SIZE] - [/FONT][/SIZE][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]146[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Yellowtail[/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Seriola quinqueradiata - [/FONT][/SIZE][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]147[/SIZE][/FONT]

[FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]Sole[/SIZE][/FONT]
[SIZE=-1][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif]Synaptura kleini - [/FONT][/SIZE][FONT=Georgia, Times New Roman, Times, serif][SIZE=-1]2,110[/SIZE][/FONT]