tank cycling

[stinger]

hi guys
right now, i'm cycling my second tank...
it's a 10g tank with about 15 lbs LR and 2-3inch of LS
I've been cycling for almost 3 weeks now
The ammonia reading now is 0.5 mg/l (sera test kit) however the NO2 is still 0.
Is this normal or expected?
I thought when the ammonia drops, the NO2 should rise.
btw i'm cycling without fish in the tank, just a pinch of flake food a couple of times aday
(the ammonia has reached 5 mg/l around 10 days ago)

thanks guys

 

[stinger]

^

 

[kanapino]

stinger,

That's right it nitrite (NO2) should be high or at least registering if not high. Especially if your registering NH3. What is your nitrate(NO3) this is the last step in this cycle and longest to come down? I'm asking this because if your cycle is running and the nitrite test kit has a problem then your nitrate test ( hopefully it works) should start showing nitrate. But with the live sand and cycle live rock(asumption) then it should cycle relatively fast.
LOL

B.

 

[howie099]

It is looking good, make sure your testkit is right by using it on your other tank. When they get to zero add a fish.

 

[AnotherGoldenTeapot]

Nitrite is non-toxic to saltwater fish - it's only a problem in freshwater and then only if the concentration of chloride ions is low.

So, you can add a fish once the ammonia test reads zero.

It's true that you will measure off the scale nitrate with most tests if you have nitrite present (it's a false reading but a useful test).

Really you do not need a nitrite test since you only want to know whether you have some or not (concentration does not matter) and so a nitrate test can be used.

There's no need to add flake food - you have ammonia and the rest of the cycle will follow eventually.

 

[leftovers]

<blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by AnotherGoldenTeapot:
<strong>Nitrite is non-toxic to saltwater fish - it's only a problem in freshwater and then only if the concentration of chloride ions is low.</strong><hr></blockquote>

ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmm NO

Nitrite is quite lethal to Saltwater and freshwater fish and invertabrates even in low concentrations...

 

[Len]

Nitrite (NO2) is toxic to fish. As a matter of fact, it's toxic to most organisms, period. Nitrite has a deleterious effect on red blood cell's ability to transport oxygen. Nitrite will bind to blood cells and prevent them from carrying oxygen throughout an organism's system, leading to languid fish or death by asphyxiation. In presence of free hydrogen ions, nitrite will form nitric acid .... a highly virulent mutagen that literally destroys cells. I would hardly regard nitrite as benign. Organisms that are found in high nutrient environments usually have detoxification mechanisms that revert nitrite back to ammonia, or are able to sequester nitrite from its tissues. Organisms that aren't able to perform these functions may die.

Note that in a marine environment, fish must drink great volumes (7 to 35% of body weight) to osmoregulate (prevent them from dehydration). This is a whole lot of water being passed through their gills, making dissolved nitrites that much more dangerous to SW fish.

Nitrate (NO3) is a different issue.

This message has been "peer reviewed"

[ March 20, 2002: Message edited by: Leonard ]</p>