- Reappearance of Nitrites -
Hello Crew,
Thank you for your wonderful website.
I have a 58 gallon saltwater tank.  Fish only (yellow tang, coral beauty, maroon clown) and 2 live rocks.  The tank has been running for one year.  For 11 months the Nitrite reading has always been 0.  
On the advice of a local pet store I started using a product, Marine S.A.T, to treat hair algae.  After 3 weeks of treatments, my Nitrite went up to 1.5. <Could be your test kit reagents are old - I'd get a second opinion on the results of the test kit.>
What do you think of this product? <I've never heard of it.>
How do I eliminate the Nitrite? <Larger water changes, and consider perhaps some more live rock.>
What do you think of AMQUEL or other Nitrite reducing products? <Amquel doesn't reduce nitrites, it locks up ammonia. Am not familiar with anything that addresses nitrites directly.>
I appreciate any guidance.  
Thank you
Tina
<Cheers, J -- >

Nitrite spike
Hi Bob,
Again I am faced with spike in nitrite now up to 0.5mg/l. Additional to the live rocks I have actually add a biological system with bio-ball and in the main tank I also add some coral bits in .
<Leave this system be... if the NO2 doesn't approach 1.0 ppm, let it settle>
Moreover, I also add it a poly filter ( just in case ) but it didn't stop it from spiking.
I guess the system is not fully mature and also due to feeding again.
I will stop feeding right away and monitor the problem everyday.
May I know what is the immediate action to be taken?
Partial water change or not?
Add in fresh poly filter ?
<Zip, zero, nada... don't do anything... including no additives, no feeding...>
Bob, I heard that Seachem offer a product for lowering nitrite call "PRIME " IS it effective? And it also advice to add 5 times more during emergency, what is your view on this product?
<No, don't use this... or anything... you're just forestalling the establishment of cycling>
Also shall I add more live rocks ?
<NO>
Pls advise.
Urgent.
David.
P.S Fish behave ok but notice small white patches on body and fin. >>
<Likely due to whacked water quality... unless, until you can determine this is a parasitic problem, don't even move the livestock... more stress...
Bob Fenner>