Cigarette Smoke??

kzlen

kzlen

Member
Well Ive done everything I can think of. My Nitrates just wont go under 20. I switched to better water, I have a skimmer for up to a 60g tank. I have 3 powerheads. 3 1/2 in dsb, 46lbs of lr. Cant do the fuge right now... and dont want any plants in tank right now. Nothing in the tank. No fish, no inverts I want to get some snails but I think my Nitrates are too high. I quit burning incense a while back. Only other thing i can think of is maybe my husbands cigarette smoke may contribute to nitrates?? its been 2 1/2 mo since cycle started :help: :help: :help:
 
wablondie98664

wablondie98664

Active Member
i don't think cigarette smoke will effect nitrates, but it can leach other harmful chemicles into the water. a level of 20 really isn't that bad. i'd say you can get some snails and dee how they do
 
harlequin

harlequin

Member
I would try a hermit or two and some astrea snails. Hermits are just tough and the snails will be like canarys testing for poison gas. How are you testng your water? Try a different kit or let the LFS test it.
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
The nitrAtes are comming from the life on the live rock. Both me and my wife smoke and very heavily. My macro algae culture tank has been 0 nitrates for months.
Your nitrates are very low for having a bioload and no plant life. If you have nothing in the tank then add some plant life and see what happens. You could always remove them later.
Although 20ppm is low the addition of more life will increase the nitrates. Your nitrates are acceptable for fish and snales and all but the most delicate inverts/corals. As you have already found out higher quallty water will not help. Neither will water changes. But with plant life in your tank the nitrates would already be 0.0.
 
kzlen

kzlen

Member
umm i said 2 1/2 months since cycle started, not weeks
and I knew you would say get plants beasl, thats why i said i dont want any plants right now. I thought about getting a Salifert test kit but the stores around here dont carry any or are out . the last time I had the LFS test my water, I took home my new inhabitants and they died a week later. I was thinking if i can get some snails in there to help clean up, nitrates may go down??
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member
:notsure: i'm confused. I thought the origial post stated it had been up for 2 1/2 months. They should have come down by now. Also adding snales will increase the nitrates by consuming the ugly algae which are currently consuming the nitrates.
 
krishj39

krishj39

Active Member
Beaslbob is right, adding snails or any animal (besides some bacteria I suppose) will add to the nitrate, not remove it. algae eaters do contribute to nitrate levels both because their poop still leads to an increase and, as stated, they are eating the algae that consumed the nitrates. Not saying you should just grow the algae, but stating the fact that algea decreases nitrates, and any animal raises it. Your solutions are to add plants (which you said you don't want to do), or do water changes. Other things that might help is feeding less, if you think you could cut back on that, and also letting the tank continue to mature. It takes a long time for the anaerobic bacteria to grow that consume nitrates.
 
kzlen

kzlen

Member
Ok this is what happened. Set up tank Nov 2002. ran 5 lbs lr for 8mo. Stupidly i add 25lbs more LR. Killing all pods. that was sept. 26 2003.. sparking a new cycle. 5 days ago i added 16 more pounds of LR fully cured, cause i didnt even have 1lb per gallon. I did a 5gallon water change yesterday. tested lvls today . all are good but nitrate has been 20 since i started , with the few exceptions , i believe 3 times.. it read 10ppm. I cant add fuge till I move, for lack of plugs. soo snails and cleaners will not lower Nitrates, this is what im hearing , and the Nitrates will increase?? great!!
 
rangermonroe

rangermonroe

Member
Yeah, that sounds like it is not the source. Just a shot in the dark. Fish will be ok at that level and snails, crabs should be too
You could always do a 100% water change and lower it:D
 
kzlen

kzlen

Member
I didnt think i want to get fish in there yet cause im plannig on looking for a house to buy after xmas and move in this spring. Im already going to have to break the tank down, didnt want to add any more stress to any fish i would get...
 
rangermonroe

rangermonroe

Member
I see. You could always put some crabs and snalils and such in there. Probably mushrooms would do ok too. Just to give it a little life.
Oh...this one is for beaslbob...plants!:D Seriously, I would get some macros cooking in there while you have no fish eating them up, the stress of the move wont bother them, and you'll hav eno more nitrates.
 
beaslbob

beaslbob

Well-Known Member

Originally posted by Kzlen
I didnt think i want to get fish in there yet cause im plannig on looking for a house to buy after xmas and move in this spring. Im already going to have to break the tank down, didnt want to add any more stress to any fish i would get...
that is a good idea. Don't change 100% of the water. Again you nitrates are comming from your bioload. Don't rely on anerobic bacteria to lower you nitrates. The tank may stink and the products of the anearobic anr not pleasant.
If you don't like plants or macros then at least let the algae grow. Even a nice algae growth on the back glass will lower the nitrates.
Finally and again after you move, you current nitrates will support most everything. the real problem is when you add stuff, a mini cycle will start out and even if short your nitrates will rise and rise and rise. Until plant life consumes those nitrates that is what you are stuck with. Water changes will only result in a saw tooth where nitrates go from 100 ppm (for instance) to 90 ppm and then rise until the next water change.
kip Have to leave the office fo awhile. will ook it up when i get back.
To kip and all. I always enjoy these discussions.
 
kzlen

kzlen

Member
My back wall has a nice algae growth going on, thats for sure. And you are right, nitrates lower after water changes just to raise back to 20ppm. I know 20ppm is not as bad as some of the posts ive read , people battling 80ppm and up. Thank goodness thats not me(Knocking on wood).
Being a sorta perfectionist, it bothers me that its not 0 or darn close to it. It may be a good idea to get plants with my set -up, i have to admit.
 
elfdoctors

elfdoctors

Active Member
Getting back to the original topic, I am going to agree with wablondie, cigarette smoke can certainly add toxins into your tank. Carbon Monoxide and tars would be most likely to be a problem (particularly if you have a skimmer which would be injecting these toxins into your water).
Beaslbob, no amount of houseplants will keep you and your environment healthy if you continue to smoke! :D
 
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