Hi all,
The nitrite test is basically a pass / fail so I feel like it did its job. I do have a terribly time differentiating some of the results. Again I am not chasing a specific parameter value like pH, KH, GH or Nitrates other than make my water "safe for fishies".
I just wanted my ammonia and nitrite to read 0 after an ammonia spike followed by a nitrite spike,
<"
I don't see any issue with this">, nitrite (NO2-) is relatively easy to test for, because some nitrite containing compounds are both coloured <"
and insoluble">.
........ Nitrites react with chromotropic acid reagent to form a pink tint in the sample. The amount of color developed is proportional to the concentration of nitrite present in the aqueous sample........
Ammonia/ammonium (NH3/NH4+) is a <"
little bit more problematic">, because you have the two <"
different states of the TAN"> and because of the solubility of most ammonia containing compounds. An ion selective electrode would work, but they are expensive bits of kit.
Personally I'm never going to base decisions, <"
about fish welfare">, on the results of the ammonia or nitrite test.
The real problem I have is with the <"
whole "cycling" concept"> as a binary switch between "fish unsafe" and "fish safe" and using test kits to tell you on <"
which side of the binary divide you reside">.
You don't need to do any of this you just need to <"
plant the tank and wait">, once the plants are in active growth and a reasonable biomass has developed <"
the tank is cycled">. It is the <"
Seasoned Tank Time"> concept.
Having been in marine I will be glad to step away from weekly testing and documenting results and constant tweaking to ensure rock solid water chemistry.
It is <"
slightly different with sea water">, you have <"
known datum values"> to aim for in a much denser, saltier liquid. The increased density of sea water allows you to use a "protein skimmer" and you the <"
ionic content of the water"> allows you to use a hygrometer or refractometer to measure salinity. For many parameters there are a very small range of values which are "good" and everything else is sub-optimal. It is a <"
very black and white world">, compared to freshwater, where everything is <"
shades of grey">.
cheers Darrel