my ray tank started producing very low levels of nitrites why??

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calgaryflames

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Nov 10, 2009
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calgary
the tank has been running for 7 months i tested ammonia its always at zero.nitrates today were between 5-10 and nitrite was .15 - .20

what i think is that i am cleaning to much water.the tank is filled up with about 1200 gallons i drip 240 gallons per day.

or i never clean the shrimp shells out,theirs a bit of meat still in them sometimes i am sure,its impossible to grab them so i just let them get sucked up and thats the end of them.this has happened one time before where all of the sudden low levels appear!

do you guys think that the shells can cause this and or organic build up.i use a fx5 and aqua ultima filters.i never see increase in ammonia and their is nitrate levels so things are working .something is causeing the low levels of nitrite??? any ideas the tank is under stocked too
 
would organic decay only create nitrite?? its creating ammonia too and it doesnt show up because my bio is taking care of it quicker than nitrite??any insight or expert aquarists that can give me some opinions
 
calgaryflames said:
would organic decay only create nitrite?? its creating ammonia too and it doesnt show up because my bio is taking care of it quicker than nitrite??any insight or expert aquarists that can give me some opinions
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IMO that would lead me to believe that you don't quite have enough Bio to handle the loads that sometimes maybe not all the time accumulate ...What size Ultimas 1000's 4000??????Or larger ....On my 650 i have 60 gals of media in two 75 gal sumps and 70 pounds of ceramics in another 70 gal tub and am still going to put a 100 gal BIO reactor that i have built DIY of course.....Also what kind of tunover ????
 
another possabilaty however small your turnover of fresh coming in on you drip "may " be causing this maybe slow it down a touch and check parameters ....
 
Could your new water be stressing your bacteria? Is it dechlorinated?
 
HULON said:
IMO that would lead me to believe that you don't quite have enough Bio to handle the loads that sometimes maybe not all the time accumulate ...What size Ultimas 1000's 4000??????Or larger ....On my 650 i have 60 gals of media in two 75 gal sumps and 70 pounds of ceramics in another 70 gal tub and am still going to put a 100 gal BIO reactor that i have built DIY of course.....Also what kind of tunover ????
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2000 with a pump that pushes roughly 4500 per hour and a fx5 on the other end of the tank.that would be turnover rate of about 5 times per hour i only have 6 rays and a few small fish.

if it were under filtered would their not be ammonia present
 
Does your dechlorinator also remove chloramines?
 
calgaryflames said:
2000 with a pump that pushes roughly 4500 per hour and a fx5 on the other end of the tank.that would be turnover rate of about 5 times per hour i only have 6 rays and a few small fish.

if it were under filtered would their not be ammonia present
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So just one 2000??? Not neccessarily your Bio could just be straining to keep up like just on the edge ....For that matter the other end of this debate some guys would say the glass and tiles would be enough surface area for your BB"s to grow One more point what do you have in front of your Ultima for Mechanical straight mechanical i think mechanical is waaaay underated just completly eliminating the poo all together .....
calgaryflames said:
is that possible.the water is de chlorinated
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knifegill said:
Does your dechlorinator also remove chloramines?
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Possability for sure .....Carbon tanks only remove clorine not clorimine whats's your water filtration??
 
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