Alright my tank has been running for about 3 months now. I have been doing all the regular 10% water changers every other week and filter maintains every now and then. I have been feeding my fish, so that they eat all of it in about 2 minutes, and I have also been scoping out all of their poop. I just tested my water for nitrites and it was at .25. Why did I get a little nitrite spike? I know time only lowers nitrite, but is there a way to help prevent these spikes?

If you have room............a refugium will solve it completly. I run a refugium now and it has made my protein skimmer obsolete........Soo i dont run one. weird i know.... I dont have any spikes except when I stir the sand and move stuff around a lot........which im ADD and a bit of OCD. :) I like to move stuff and it has to be perfect. I just run a filter sock now and have a refugium and my water is crystal clear. :) No nitrates no phosphates nothing at all. I love it! Did you put your rock in and then your sand? that could be a reason or even build up under the rocks. Turkey baste your rocks and see if you get a bu nch of gunk. :)

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if you use a refugium, you don't need a protein skimmer..????

You read snowbosses post about hydroponics with the water........same thing.......plants take in nutrients..........massive amounts............and im trying to see if they take it in fast enough to be a complete filter in them selves.

i agree about the refugium, they help alot. i made a specimine container somewhat into a HIT (hang in tank)refugium, eversince i put it in, my water has become crystal clear. i still run a protien skimmer, but it works alot less. i have also noticed the behavior in my mushrooms, they dont shrivle up as much

if ur using a bio-filter...try putting live rock in the bottom of it...live rock will help with the spikes