Nitrate and Nitrite

[Freind]

Hi folks,

As you may have remember that I was setting up a new nano tank for my son. I bought the live sand and used my old tank water. Th tank is running from almost a week without any fish or anything.
Today I just checked the water and my nitrate and nitrite are extremely high. I thought they should be okay as there is nothing in there. The water level in my old tank are good.
So can anyone advise why is that or what I am missing.
Thank you

 

[Dmorty217]

The water doesn't have any nitrifying bacteria in it, only surfaces such as rock, glass, sand, biomedia have the bacteria on it. You could add a rock from your mature tank to help with the bacteria population. Live sand is usually anything but live.

 

[Freind]

The water doesn't have any nitrifying bacteria in it, only surfaces such as rock, glass, sand, biomedia have the bacteria on it. You could add a rock from your mature tank to help with the bacteria population. Live sand is usually anything but live.

Thank you
But I am wondering where these comes from. Is it always in any untreated water.
I put my dry rocks in a separate bucket with one old rock to see any po4. I just checked that water and it is just fine.

 

[mcgyvr]

Bacteria is everywhere... unless you want to be grossed out the rest of your life I would just leave it at that..

Are you testing for ammonia?
Nitrate test kits can also register falsely when there is sufficient nitrites present too... So just test for nitrites/ammonia now to monitor the cycling process.. expect 4 weeks on average.. once ammonia/nitrites are zero then your tank is basically cycled and you do water changes to drop the nitrate levels to an acceptable number (sub 10 is a good starting point)

 

[Freind]

Bacteria is everywhere... unless you want to be grossed out the rest of your life I would just leave it at that..

Are you testing for ammonia?
Nitrate test kits can also register falsely when there is sufficient nitrites present too... So just test for nitrites/ammonia now to monitor the cycling process.. expect 4 weeks on average.. once ammonia/nitrites are zero then your tank is basically cycled and you do water changes to drop the nitrate levels to an acceptable number (sub 10 is a good starting point)

Ammonia is zero.
I think I should add the rocks which I am cycling separately. But if you have read my other post, I bought the dry rocks but those are not Pukani. I just checked the water for PO4 and the reading was 0.1, so is it a level i should be concern for a new tank with no fish.
Also I spoke the local store and he told me that bacteria need some food as well to service. Its remind me when I started my first tank. I through some shrimps in there and let it run for few months. Should I do the same thing again.

 

[Freind]

:wavehand:

Ammonia is zero.
I think I should add the rocks which I am cycling separately. But if you have read my other post, I bought the dry rocks but those are not Pukani. I just checked the water for PO4 and the reading was 0.1, so is it a level i should be concern for a new tank with no fish.
Also I spoke the local store and he told me that bacteria need some food as well to service. Its remind me when I started my first tank. I through some shrimps in there and let it run for few months. Should I do the same thing again.