Nitrites

[Keeper]

Other than daily water changes are there any other safe ways to lower Nitrites?

I've seen Nitrite lowering chemicals but I don't really trust any chemicals

 

[TankGirl]

Water changes are really all you can do, but you can make the nitrite less harmful to the fish by increasing aeration by lowering the water level in the tank and using bubble wands, and adding salt to the tank. The only sure way is to grow the denitrifying bacteria, and for me that is always the longest part of the cycle.

 

[Keeper]

thanks for the info, here is a little more on the tank. Okay, this is a fully cycled planted tank that I recently had a weird Nitrate reading on(very high - 80ppm. maybe false reading). The Nitrates are currently back to about 10ppm but I am now reading about 0.50ppm Nitrite. What could cause a nitrite spike? I don't over feed(that I think) and the tank cycled about 2 months ago and has been stable since.

 

[TankGirl]

Did you change anything? Like did a super thorough cleaning or gravel vac? Sometimes if there is a lot of debris in the gravel an over-zealous gravel vac can cause a spike - grasping at straws here... a dead fish in a hidden spot?

 

[Keeper]

No big changes. Regular 25% water change yesterday with a minor gravel vac. All fish are accounted for. Just confuesd(nothing new).

 

[poikilotherm]

My idea doesn't really make sense given the high nitrate reading, but i thought I'd throw it out there...

Has your tank temperature been temporarily lowered recently? Nitrobacter (Nitrite -> Nitrate) are more sensitive to low (<76F) temperatures than Nitrosomonas (Ammonia -> Nitrite), so a temporary drop in temperature could cause a nitrite spike. I think the reason this isn't too much of a problem in coldwater tanks is that the Nitrobacter adapt to the lower temperature, but a transient change (e.g. power failure) could throw the tank off balance for a week or so.

 

[madasafish]

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LOL.

That's a microbial ecologist/bioinformaticist (sp?) talking to ya right there. Not a bad theory, Stephen!

 

[TankGirl]

That's why we love havin' you around here, poikilotherm!

I am going to file that theory away for later, and one day I'm sure gonna look smart when I whip it out Don't worry, I'll tell 'em where I learned it

 

[Keeper]

My idea doesn't really make sense given the high nitrate reading, but i thought I'd throw it out there...

Has your tank temperature been temporarily lowered recently? Nitrobacter (Nitrite -> Nitrate) are more sensitive to low (<76F) temperatures than Nitrosomonas (Ammonia -> Nitrite), so a temporary drop in temperature could cause a nitrite spike. I think the reason this isn't too much of a problem in coldwater tanks is that the Nitrobacter adapt to the lower temperature, but a transient change (e.g. power failure) could throw the tank off balance for a week or so.

If anything, there has been a rise in tank temp due to the heat we have been experiencing for the last week or so. I do really like your theory though. I tend to learn something new everyday(even if I don't understand it )

 

[poikilotherm]

Thanks, Keeper and TankGirl (and for pointing out my theorizing, madasafish!)

Sometimes I come from the more theoretical end of the spectrum in trying to troubleshoot problems. I guess I figure that if a theoretical line of thought, and a line drawn from practical experience can "meet in the middle", then more can be learned than from either part alone.

I look forward to more "meeting in the middle", hopefully with more practical implications, in the future!