Backyard Aquaponics
A place to discuss aquaponics

DD, my nitrite level fluctuates (slowly) up to 0.25, so I have come to accept that level...fish devour there food and are healthy..like Janet, my ammonia remains at zero

interesting, both les and JP have 0.25 nitrite and both have an rsg filter..............

Les experienced this before his RSG also (correct me if I'm wrong Les). Haven't measured mine in ages - but I expect that many people with gravel beds would show some nitrite due to anoxic production of nitrite from nitrate.

was drawing a long bow

My RSG filters are long gone. I had the problem before, during and after the RSG filters.

It would be interesting to find out whether the flood and drain timing has anything to do with this. The NO2 to NO3 conversion requires that the water in the biofilter has to have elevated levels of oxygen. It could even be higher CO2 levels in the GB's.

I expect anything I have fish in to have 0ppm ammonia and 0ppm nitrite at all times. Anytime I pick up a reading I troubleshoot the whole thing and work out what needs to be optimized.
Ya I know this is not the case when you are cycling biofiltration, but I always fishless cycle so ya...
Water changing during a cycle will not usually slow down a cycle. However cleaning filters or disturbing grow beds probably will.
Nitrites toxicity can depend on a few things. Fish will be effected by ammonia/nitrIte more in low oxygen situations.
Also while ammonia is more toxic at higher pH, nitrIte is more toxic at lower pH's.
As mentioned conversion of ammonia to nitrite requires oxygen and conversion of nitrite to nitrate requires oxygen. So not only is good aeration important to keep fish and bacteria 'breathing' well but it is also used in waste conversion.
As to the free magazine, I think it was awesome work and everyone I have thrown a link to it, to has been VERY impressed. i know I have written a fair few things on fish in the past and the gen public usually take offence when I give them a link and tell them to READ IT and then ask me some questions. The only way to upset them more is to ask the ultimate 'put people in their place question' and say "have you heard of google?".
Don't get me wrong, I am here and posting on other sites because I enjoy helping people.... but when you goto the trouble of putting all the help you can into one place and then give it away.... its kinda a kick in the guts when people can't be bothered to check it out.
That wasn't me having a go at anyone here, god knows I don't have the energy for shenanigens at da moment. Just an internet wide observation from someone who spent the hours between 3am and 4am this morning talking a friend of a friend I had never met before thru breeding clownfish after their 'nemos' spawned.
I talk too much...

Nah, tis cool Don (not really talking too much)...I think some of the problems in our systems are unconsciously self inflicted disturbing gravel, removing a heap of plants, etc)...it then takes a few days to show up, HSM :Shock: sets in and we have forgotten about the earlier changes we made

have you got plenty of air for the fish rexy? - that is a low stocking density too, so disasters should not happen quickly.

heh lol, replying to first page again