need to reduce nitrite. help

[69camaro540]

i am setting up a new tank, no livestock. i added food for an ammonia source to start the tank cycling. the ammonia came up and then after 2 weeks it went to zero. now the nirtite is a 2 for over 2 weeks and does not seem to be reducing. i put a couple pieces of live rock from an established tank to help add some bacteria to help, but still hasnt seem to be breaking down the nitrite to nitrate. any help or suggestions to try. thanks jody

 

[WaterKeeper]

Hi Camaro,

Does your tank just have a small amount of LR with the rest base rock. If so, that is the most likely cause. It takes some time for small amounts of LR to seed a tank. Nitrification has started as the ammonia is zero. It some cases tanks tend to get "stuck" meaning they create nitrite but not nitrate. The problem is self curing just give some more time for the rock work to develop.

 

[69camaro540]

i put only a few pieces of live rock in from my exsisting tank. should i put more in to help the seeding process of the new tank? thanks

 

[WaterKeeper]

Sure thing about more LR-the more added the faster things will go. Also, adding a little more LR added at this point may tip the balance and get you out of that nitrite stage.

 

[69camaro540]

thanks