# Nitrites in tap water?



## briang8r (Jun 14, 2017)

Hello, my name is Brian and I am new to the forum. First of all, I'd like to say this site is a terrific resource, and I'm excited to be a part of it.

I was hoping some of you experts can help a novice out. I'm working on cycling a 90 gallon aquarium. I am in my 3rd week (day 16 to be exact). My API test has been showing very high nitrites...basically it is pegged around 5 ppm. After several days of these same readings, and frequent PWCs, I decided to test my tap water. Lo and behold, it is showing those very same high nitrites. Has anyone seen these types of readings in their tap water? Is it possible I got a bad test solution from API? I am using Prime just to be safe, and the fish seem no worse for wear. Are PWCs even beneficial if those nitrite readings are correct? My ammonia is between .5 and 1.0 ppm. I'd appreciate any advice on how to proceed.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

Welcome to the forum! I've never seen nitrites in tap water, I'd buy another nitrite test kit and see what the results are. If you're still seeing nitrites I'd be calling your water treatment facility


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## briang8r (Jun 14, 2017)

Thank you. I will do so tomorrow. I couldn't understand why they were reading so high without the ammonia being near 0. Hopefully it is just a bad test kit. Will post the results with the new kit tomorrow.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

Okay sounds good and I hope that's all it is too for you and your fishes sake!


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## briang8r (Jun 14, 2017)

So it is definitely my tap water. First I re-tested the nitrites in both my tap and tank water and both were very purple on the API test. Then, I brought a sample to the local store and had it tested, and it showed similar levels to what the API test showed. Just to confirm the test was OK, I tested some bottled water, and it read 0 nitrites. I guess my next call needs to be to the city to discuss contaminants in our drinking water.

That being said, how do you recommend I handle the tank? I'm not sure the PWCs help at all if there is already high nitrites in the tap water. My plan right now is to keep treating with Prime every 48 hours, until hopefully the bacteria builds up and starts processing the nitrites. The ammonia was lower today then yesterday...about .25 PPM.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

Does anyone near you carry Startsmart Complete? It's worked for me in the past...


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

You may have to resort to buying filtered water from a fish store or going to the grocery store to buy spring water.


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## briang8r (Jun 14, 2017)

I can get the Smartstart Complete from Amazon prime. It would be here in a couple of days. Some places have Stability, but I haven't seen the Smartstart. I can grab some spring water from the store for now, but that's probably not viable long term for every water change. I emailed the city about the nitrites in the water. I'll call them tomorrow as well.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

I'd use bottled water until your tap water is fixed.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

Order a couple of bottles of that stuff and I know it's going to be really tough as far as doing water changes with spring water but it's better than the alternative at the moment.


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## briang8r (Jun 14, 2017)

Thanks. I'll order the Smartstart today, and buy a bunch of spring water from the store.


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## CeeJay (Aug 16, 2016)

I hope you aren't drinking this water.

I have seen this before one person I know he set up a tank to age his water with a bio-filter before he used it in his tanks. His tank was a 220 with an under gravel filter he would fill the tank and let the water set for couple day until it tested ok. This may not work for you but others have dealt with this problem. I have never used Smartstart but if it works it may be better way to solve your problem.


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## briang8r (Jun 14, 2017)

I have switched exclusively to beer until this drinking water issue is remedied.

Thanks for the tip. I'll see if that works. I'll put some water into a jug and test it in a couple of days to see if the nitrites go down on their own.


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## briang8r (Jun 14, 2017)

So the city will be out to test the water today. Apparently this is a big deal to them. They were quick to impugn the accuracy/validity of the API tester. I told them we also tested with the Tetra strips at my LFS, and that a bottle of Smart Water showed 0 nitrites. I guess we'll see what they come up with. The nitrites in my tank remain high, but the good news is my nitrates are starting to go up. I'm at 40 ppm, so maybe the nitrite level will start to decrease in the tank as a result. I bought 20 gallons of water last night (looked like an idiot at the grocery store), and will change that out today.


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## DJRansome (Oct 29, 2005)

Test the bottled water before you use it as well.


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## Iggy Newcastle (May 15, 2012)

Any results from the city tests?


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## briang8r (Jun 14, 2017)

Iggy Newcastle said:


> Any results from the city tests?


The guy came out today (had a conflict on Friday) and took a bunch of samples from multiple locations at the house. It is being sent to the lab. Been using spring water for WCs. It tests OK. Reasonably high PH with no Nitrites. I continue to use 2 capfuls of Prime with every WC. OVer the weekend I tested the water at my brother's house (about 1.5 miles away), and it had 0 nitrites out of the tap. Strange.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

Wow, any chance your neighbors would let you test their water?


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## briang8r (Jun 14, 2017)

They wouldn't care at all. I'll walk over and take some out of their hose tonight.


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## Deeda (Oct 12, 2012)

Try and take a sample directly from the spigot rather than the hose as this eliminates the hose from the equation. Let the water run a minute to clear the piping first.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

Well how did the test go?


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## briang8r (Jun 14, 2017)

So my neighbor's water also high on the nitrite test. That makes 3 tests on my block that were all basically pegged on the API test. Hopefully this 48 hour test by the water department reveals something, because I am not really sure if my tank is completely cycled at this point. Is there something on my block only causing a false positive on these tests, or are the nitrites really that high? If they are that high, why wouldn't they be going down based on the tank being at least a month into the cycling process. So far I have done 1 WC with 15 gallons of spring water, and the nitrites didn't move. I have another 18 that I am going to do tonight. If the nitrites don't go down after that, then I will be suspicious about something causing false positives more-so than the water. Pretty weird.


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## briang8r (Jun 14, 2017)

So, I did the water change, and the nitrite test is still deep purple. The fish all seem healthy and happy (eating, chasing each other, do not appear stressed, etc.). There must be something else in the water causing the test to react, no?


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

It sure seems that way, because if the nitrite levels were that high over a sustained period of time, there would be notable symptoms of poisoning.


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## briang8r (Jun 14, 2017)

I will talk to the lady when she gives me the test results from the lab. I also emailed API to see if they know of any chemicals that cause false nitrite positives. I'll continue using spring water until I get an actual nitrite reading and at this point consider my tank cycled based on the healthy fish and 0 ammonia. Do you think it's OK to put Purigen in at this point?


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## briang8r (Jun 14, 2017)

Got the results back from the city today. The tap water has a nitrite level of .34 mg/l, which clearly is not what is tripping the API test. Tested again this morning....purple as can be. Strange.


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## caldwelldaniel26 (Jun 11, 2017)

Yeah that really is strange... I don't know what in the world would cause a false positive for nitrites though.


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## briang8r (Jun 14, 2017)

Whatever it is, just a small amount of it triggers the test. I've done 2 WCs with nitrite free bottled water and the test result hasn't gone down even a little bit. After work, I am going to dilute the water with bottled water and see if the test still turns dark purple. At least my fish are safe. Thanks for your help.


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## FishGeek2000 (Jun 23, 2017)

I was doing some searching in the Internet (which never lies  ) based on your experience and found a post related to a different test manufacturer, but may be part of the problem. Apparently, with the two part Nitrite test, if you shake the test tube too hard, it can cause a false positive. I've never experienced this myself, but I've also never paid attention to the level of aggression I employ when doing so. The two chemicals should be mixed thoroughly but apparently not whipped into a froth ;-)

I'd be interested to know if this changes your results...if you still have the API kit. Although, that wouldn't explain getting the same result from a litmus strip.


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