no ammonia readings ever . Odd but bio is at least handling the ammonia
Nitrite won't drop
- Thread starter Rghfor
- Start date
I would think that there would be some ammonia or a nitrite spike at some point. Learn sonething new everyday
2 kits same reading sadly . Looks like another filters the option
Are these the nitrite drop count titration tests where 1 drop = 40 ppm as NaNO2/5ml? If so, how many drops is it taking before the color changes from orange to blue and what math are you using to get 0.05 ppm Nitrite?
I'm guessing it's turning blue after 2 drops? 2 ÷ 40 = 0.05 ppm.
Is that right?
I'm guessing it's turning blue after 2 drops? 2 ÷ 40 = 0.05 ppm.
Is that right?
Test kit used different shades of pink odd I know. But it's 5 drops of regent one and 5 drops of regent 2 as per the instructions
There are real experts on this thread, but I will add my .02 anyway. Nitrites, nitrates and ammonia are all about bioload, dissolved oxygen level and available surface area. Turnover is about making sure you don't get dead spots that can go anoxic or collect debris. Just about every tank I have ever seen with a substrate has had many ttimes more surface area in its substrate than its filter. I run my filters empty, just for circulation, except my HOBs which have plants in them. I run an overstocked tank with no WC and aquaponics, which basically is completing the cycle by turning the nitrogen into plant mass or outgassing it, and have no problems.
Drstrangelove
is probably right, you probably have dead spots in your tank that are anoxic. The best way to solve such a problem is with a wavemaker, which will create a powerful, random surge that will increase ripples and get current into all the dead spots. A canister will only add another narrow jet of water and some surface area you probably don't need.
Drstrangelove
is probably right, you probably have dead spots in your tank that are anoxic. The best way to solve such a problem is with a wavemaker, which will create a powerful, random surge that will increase ripples and get current into all the dead spots. A canister will only add another narrow jet of water and some surface area you probably don't need.There are real experts on this thread, but I will add my .02 anyway. Nitrites, nitrates and ammonia are all about bioload, dissolved oxygen level and available surface area. Turnover is about making sure you don't get dead spots that can go anoxic or collect debris. Just about every tank I have ever seen with a substrate has had many ttimes more surface area in its substrate than its filter. I run my filters empty, just for circulation, except my HOBs which have plants in them. I run an overstocked tank with no WC and aquaponics, which basically is completing the cycle by turning the nitrogen into plant mass or outgassing it, and have no problems.
Good point and something i had to learn the hard way.
A few months ago i set up a larger tank. The old tank was established 0 ammonia/nitrite. Moved all the bb over to the new tank assuming all would remain the same. Not taking into account the bb held within the old substrate. I had ammonia and nitrite spikes and couldnt figure out why until another member
JK47
pointed out the the older tank/substrate was also part of my bio filtration being covered in bb along with the bio media. New tank and substrate = 0 bb present
another member
hello; Forgive me if this has already been covered. I have been lurking on this thread but may have forgotten some of the information.
One point about bb and substrate. That there is now no substrate does not also mean there are no bb on surfaces of a tank. It is my understanding the bb can and do colonize many surfaces even in bare bottom tanks. Pretty much any surface where there is some flow.
On the nitrite test results. Others have speculated on what conditions might promote zero ammonia and at the same time some level of nitrite. My comments will be about using the test kit. As others have suggested clean the vials and use distilled water.
One other suggestion is to run the tests on some distilled water. The pH should be neutral and all other readings should approach null. Best I can recall this was a method I used back in the 1970's as a "standard" to calibrate water test results.
Some have mentioned RO water and I did use a lab that made their own RO water. Best I can recall the chemist told me it can be used in place of distilled water. Please feel free to correct these assumptions if I have this wrong.
