NO2 Is it important to monitor and keep under control in a marine aquarium?
- Thread starter Brenden
- Start date
Help Support Reef Aquarium & Tank Building Forum:
Slickdonkey
Drink me
Nitrite is far less toxic in a marine environment than in a freshwater one...the fear of it comes from the freshwater side of the aquarium hobby. I was the same, I always viewed nitrite as dangerous in the marine tank because of my freshwater experience.
Two things...#1 the presence of nitrite indicates that ammoina is being processed and the bacteria-nutrient ratio is not where it needs to be...in a QT tank maybe not a problem since you are not concerned at all with bacterial processes and can easily change out all the contaminated water...however, ammoina levels should be looked at here....
#2 although nitrite is far less toxic in the marine environment, it is toxic at certain levels...
So in a QT tank....nitrite is not a big problem...ammonia is what you want to watch...what exactly are you debating on the topic?
MikeS
Two things...#1 the presence of nitrite indicates that ammoina is being processed and the bacteria-nutrient ratio is not where it needs to be...in a QT tank maybe not a problem since you are not concerned at all with bacterial processes and can easily change out all the contaminated water...however, ammoina levels should be looked at here....
#2 although nitrite is far less toxic in the marine environment, it is toxic at certain levels...
So in a QT tank....nitrite is not a big problem...ammonia is what you want to watch...what exactly are you debating on the topic?
MikeS
My point is although it is less toxic. In a QT while treating a fish you want optimal conditions.
Here is what we are debating.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=8381416#post8381416
Here is what we are debating.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?postid=8381416#post8381416
Last edited:
Boomer
Well-known member
Optimal conditons are best of course. You will rarely if ever get to toxic NO2 levels in seawater. Reason, the NO2 has to compete with the chloride ion, which is 19,000 ppm, which acts as protection ion and to some extent so does Ca++. That is why "salt" is added to FW tanks when there is an NO2 problem, it lowers nitrite toxicity. In seawater, it is not lest toxic it is many, many times less toxic than, so it is not a concern but I still want it zero.
Boomer
Well-known member
Such things as sodium nitrite getting into to a system, which means it is not impossible. Or other things that are nitrite based. NO2- does not have to come from ammonia but for us 99 % of the time it is from ammonia. Anymore than NO3- has to come from NO2-.
The other issue is that a ammonia reading can be converted to NO2- or NO3-
1 ppm ammonia --> 2.7 ppm nitrite --> 3.6 ppm nitrate.
At 10 ppm ammonia things would be dead in no time and that converts only 27 ppm NO2-, which is far from toxic.
There is no real reason to measure NO2- in any seawater tank but it is nice to know for leaning and to alert you what is going on. And we want it at zero, just like PO4-, NO3- or NH3-NH4+
1 ppm ammonia will kill many fish in 3-4 days, although they may live longer than 3-4 days they are as good as dead and will die of delayed ammonia toxicity. That 1 ppm ammonia will convert to 2.7 ppm NO2-, which will not kill the sickest fish in seawater
The other issue is that a ammonia reading can be converted to NO2- or NO3-
1 ppm ammonia --> 2.7 ppm nitrite --> 3.6 ppm nitrate.
At 10 ppm ammonia things would be dead in no time and that converts only 27 ppm NO2-, which is far from toxic.
There is no real reason to measure NO2- in any seawater tank but it is nice to know for leaning and to alert you what is going on. And we want it at zero, just like PO4-, NO3- or NH3-NH4+
1 ppm ammonia will kill many fish in 3-4 days, although they may live longer than 3-4 days they are as good as dead and will die of delayed ammonia toxicity. That 1 ppm ammonia will convert to 2.7 ppm NO2-, which will not kill the sickest fish in seawater
The guy said his NO2 test was off the charts. It just seemed at that high a level it would stress the fish while in QT and possible cause other issues. This is a newly cycling QT and I have no idea how high the NH3 got. He stats that he is adding mysis shrimp every couple days so I imagine the water is bad.
Thanks Boomer
Thanks Boomer
Last edited:
Boomer
Well-known member
Off the charts, who's kit and what range. Most only go to about 2-3 ppm. AS- Fastest has a high range to 100 ppm. He would not get it high enough without killing everthing with ammonia first and still it would not be close to toxic NO2 levels.
well, if his Nitrite levels are that high, that indicates a large amount of nutrients are being processed in the tank....ammonia is what he really needs to be looking at...not nitrite....if ammonia is up, he needs to change the water...what you need to look at is what is toxic for the QT inhabitant in question....
Cycling a QT tank? is this for fish or coral? If the QT is for fish only, there is no point in cycling it, because if you have to treat the fish for disease, you are going to wipe out bacteria anyway. If it's a QT for coral, that's a different story...these tanks need to maintain reef conditions....got a link to the arguement you are in? I could wade in and help ya....
Cycling a QT tank? is this for fish or coral? If the QT is for fish only, there is no point in cycling it, because if you have to treat the fish for disease, you are going to wipe out bacteria anyway. If it's a QT for coral, that's a different story...these tanks need to maintain reef conditions....got a link to the arguement you are in? I could wade in and help ya....
Link is in 4th post. NH3 is without a doubt a problem, the only debating was over NO2. I had already threw out the statement that any treatment will kill the bacteria. I just thought it was possible to get NO2 high enough to stress the fish. The guy thinks he is going to be able to QT without water changes.:doubt:
The guy thinks he is going to be able to QT without water changes.:doubt:
Last edited:
Boomer
Well-known member
Not in a QT tank that is not cycled and water changes make it not better but worse for nitrififying bacteria and the population denstiy will be way down. His only option is Amquel or getting water and some rock from a established tank. The Amquel will convert the ammonia into a harmless sulfonamine, which will go through normal nitrification to NO2 and NO3. However, you are not suppose to be cycling tanks with Amquel, that is not its purpose.
Many tratments will not kill bacteria, it depends on what is being used for trerament.
Many tratments will not kill bacteria, it depends on what is being used for trerament.
Last edited:
Boomer
Well-known member
Ok he is not treating anything he is just starting up a QT tank. It looks like it is still going through cycling. It has diatoms and has been running for weeks. His question is it safe as he has no ammonia test kit. More than likely there is no ammonia. His NO2 is high but the NO3 is still zero. More than likely this is a common suppression where NO3 bacteria are suppressed due to elevated N02 and need more time.
I posted this also on RC
I posted this also on RC
I have a 14gal nano with 3 clarki and a LTA. The NH4 and NO3 are 0 but the Nitrite level is 2.75. In retrospect, I now know it is overstocked and I was wondering if putting in some ofthe supplemental bacteria would help. I have done 1.5% water changes over the past 3 days and now I realize that this is counterproductive. There is LR and LS in there.
burning2nd
Well-known member
i havent tested for that since 19 yesteryear,
but true.... No2 would mean your system is borderline unstable....
just to add
my 5.5 qt reads no2 0 no3 slight-0 nh4-0 ph4 less then .02ppm
the 5.5 reef at the ladys house, reads no2-0 no3-0 ph4-0
but true.... No2 would mean your system is borderline unstable....
just to add
my 5.5 qt reads no2 0 no3 slight-0 nh4-0 ph4 less then .02ppm
the 5.5 reef at the ladys house, reads no2-0 no3-0 ph4-0
Last edited:
