new to the hobby need some help..( gravity and nitrate)

[olwine3]

This is my first saltwater. I got it from a neighbor who was moving and his Bio cube was leaking bad. I have a 30 gallon tank with 13 lbs of live rock. A regular filter for 20-60 gal tank a power head. In my tank he gave me a serpent star fish that just lost a leg.. and a feather duster and a damsil. I also got two clowns a condy anemone and a turbo snail and two blue leg hermit crabs .. my gravity has started at 1.024 and now is.1.022 and my nitrates were up to 160 i did a water change 10 gallons and my nitrates are the same and so is my gravity .. i followed the steps on my salt1/2 cup every gallon... what am i doing wrong... my fish are good and i have had them for 2 weeks..

 

[snakeblitz33]

Time to read a good book or two.
And a couple of good guides.
Here's one... https://forums.saltwaterfish.com/t/388776/guides-for-new-hobbyists
It may be that your test kit is giving you the wrong results - especially if it might be API brand test kits.
Make sure you are using RO/DI water for your top offs as well as for your mixing water. RO/DI water is absolutely pure - and it won't add any nitrates or phosphates to your tank when you top it off or make some saltwater.
Adding some macroalgae - like a variety of caulerpa or kelp will help stabilize your tank - as long as you provide it ample light. Macroalgae may be your best bet to help the tank and tanks inhabitants thrive at this point until you can do some more research on how to maintain a saltwater aquarium.
For now, don't get too bogged down with numbers. It's great that you are trying so far. But, now is the time to sit down and read and get some additional information on the hobby so that you won't worry so much.