Seachem Detoxifying

[ellena]

So I've just started up 2 tanks, hoping to clone the filter from one in an axolotl tank at work. I took a chuck of that filter's media for each new filter. No ammonia so far, but .25 nitrites. I'm using seachem prime, rounding up, so slightly overdosing. When it detoxifies, does the api liquid kit still detect it?
And, just for curiosity, cloning a mature filter, I was hoping all the bacteria would be in place, but it seems I'm now in a mini cycle?
Tanks are the last two in my sig. Water change done

 

[ShinySideUp]

I suspect that your bacteria are not quite balanced for your new tanks. Since there is no ammonia then the nitrosomonas seem to be adequate for the job but the nitrobacter perhaps need a little time to multiply and adapt to the amount of nitrite being produced. Keep an eye on the nitrite and do water changes until the filter catches up if it gets too high. I expect some might disagree but I would have thought that 0.25 nitrite is tolerable for a short time but no higher and no longer.

 

[ellena]

Thanks, that makes sense I will check each day and change if needed. I wonder if the fact the axolotl is cold water makes a difference to the bacteria present? The cycle works the same way in cold water and I thought I'd read the bacteria work faster in warmer water, but I might've dreamt that!