Help High Nitrates and Low PH

[arv99t]

Before I trust the lfs again I want some advice. I guess I should have written down the exact numbers but didn't sorry. I know she said the Nitrates were high enough I am close to losing everything in my tank. I have a 55 gal tank with a Porcupine Puffer, humu humu, chocolate chip star, and an anemone(I found the star on it last night I think hes done hence the reason I am not trusting the lfs at the moment they told me this was fine). What could be the problems. I feed flake food once in a while (about 1 time a week), and frozen shrimp 2 times a day. I have read overfeeding being one which is a possibility. What do I need to do to fix the nitrates and PH? The lfs told me to do several water changes. Will this fix both problems?

 

[jackri]

Originally Posted by arv99t
http:///forum/post/3050780
Before I trust the lfs again I want some advice. I guess I should have written down the exact numbers but didn't sorry. I know she said the Nitrates were high enough I am close to losing everything in my tank. I have a 55 gal tank with a Porcupine Puffer, humu humu, chocolate chip star, and an anemone(I found the star on it last night I think hes done hence the reason I am not trusting the lfs at the moment they told me this was fine). What could be the problems. I feed flake food once in a while (about 1 time a week), and frozen shrimp 2 times a day. I have read overfeeding being one which is a possibility. What do I need to do to fix the nitrates and PH? The lfs told me to do several water changes. Will this fix both problems?
Sounds like you are overfeeding -- IMO you should never feed twice a day and only enough for them to eat in a short amount of time.
What kind of filtration do you have?
Water changes will help with nitrates --- if you are using RO or RO/DI water. If you aren't your water source may be causing nitrates as well. Exact numbers with pH would be helpful -- pH that is a little off is ok as long as it's constant but unless you can test accurately (and hard to say their test kit is) you really shouldn't try to treat as you have no idea if your treatments are effective or correct.
Water changes, cutting back on your feedings will help --- a 55 gallon tank with messy tankmates won't take long for nitrates to build.
Do you run a sump? skimmer? macro algae? all of those can help as well.
Hard to adress pH without knowing an accurate number.

 

[ophiura]

It is important to know the numbers. "high nitrates" are rarely cause for drastic action but if you are trying to keep inverts you need to get it under control.
By the way, as you unfortunately have learned the chocolate chip star will eat the anemone. You also need to keep the star well fed by spot feeding it.
However, the puffer and the trigger are natural predators of the seastar as well, and eventually it will be an issue.

 

[natclanwy]

Exact numbers would be helpful in giving you the correct advice, but
If your PH is between 7.9 and 8.6 I wouldn't worry about it too much if you aren't keeping corals.

 

[salt210]

those fish in a 55g is going to be a mess. like asked above what are the numbers? what type of filtration do you have on it?

 

[arv99t]

I drove an hour away to get a test kit of my own since everyone has been out forever here, and tested the water which showed it was fine. I went back to the lfs (someone else was working) and asked them to retest. They also said the water was fine. First person must have done something wrong. As for the comment that these fish will be a mess in this tank we are not planing on keeping this tank. We have a bigger tank that we couldn't get where we were putting it so we do have a bigger tank. Just having to do some work to get things upgraded more.
Thanks so much for everyones help. I appreciate it