Nitrate Help!

abrand

Member
Over this past weekend I checked my nitrate levels and they were about 80. I immediately did a 20% water change daily for 3 consecutive days. This has brought my levels down to 20. In this process I lost a peppermint shrimp.
So I am trying to come to a conclusion of the cause and came up with a few ideas and wanted to see if i could get some input. The tank is a 10 gal FOWLR with 160 gph HOB filter. I was doing water changes every 2 weeks consistently and I am going to increase this to 20% once a week. I also think I was overfeeding due to me feeding once a day (2 clowns and 1 goby). I am going to decrease that to every other day. The last point is my CUC. Currently I have 1 nassarius, 2 astrea, and about 8 hermits. I am thinking I need to add a few more snails to my CUC such as 1-2 cerith and possibly a conch?
Thank you so much for your help!!
 

jerryatrick

Active Member
I think your current CUC is suffice. Along with feeding every other day I would also watch how much you are feeding and what you are feeding. A 20% water change every other week is a good plan. If it is fish only I wouldn't worry about nitrates staying in the 20s.
 

abrand

Member
Thanks for the response. I feed Rod's original. I haven't really read into how different foods can affect nitrate levels..
 

jerryatrick

Active Member
Originally Posted by abrand
http:///forum/post/2910658
Thanks for the response. I feed Rod's original. I haven't really read into how different foods can affect nitrate levels..
I would stick with that food but take your time when you are feeding. Squirt a little in and wait for it all to be eaten before adding more. It isn't the different foods really but adding to much and uneaten food can have an effect on the bioload.
 

abrand

Member
To further lower the nitrate levels, I was thinking about doing more than a 20% water change tomorrow, like a 30-50%. Would this be beneficial?
 
Nitrates in the 20's is nothing to worry about....My tanks pretty much stay between 15-40 and have not had a problem with any snails or red hermits dying.Another large water change tommorow is just going to stress out your fish, just my 2 cents.
 

locoyo386

Member
Hi there,
Originally Posted by abrand
http:///forum/post/2911186
To further lower the nitrate levels, I was thinking about doing more than a 20% water change tomorrow, like a 30-50%. Would this be beneficial?
My opinon with water changes is brief, they are O.K.
Just make sure that your salinity is as close as possible to the one in your tank. With such a small tank, and such big water change (50%) make sure that the water is very close in temperature if not exact.
When doing water changes, theoretically you dilute the nitrates by the amount of water (exp. If you do a 50% water change and your nitrates should come down by 50% aswell).
If you are going to the 50% water change I would suggest you keep a good look at your nitrates. If they are still around 20 ppm than they should go down to about 10 ppm. Check them daily for a week (after the water change) and see how high they go. This will give you and idea fo how much water change you shuould do to keep them at 10 ppm (if you are concerned with them being high).
I also have a 10 gallon tank FOWLR. I do 10% water change every week (try anyways, but neve more than every other week). I feed brine shrimp every third week and mysis shrimp every thrid week and falkes evry third week. I alternate them to give them variety. My nitrates flactuate around 40 ppm. I am not concerned to much about this level. It is tolerable (in my opinion) for FOWLR. Also I keep up with the filter midea (cleanig), replace once a month (or as needed, do not recall replacing one within less than 3 weeks though).
I have bio-wheel on my marineland 150, also have about 10 bls LR and 20 lbs LS. Not sure what you have in yours, and do not know if this helps a whole lot with the filtering. I also make sure I am not introducing nitrates with the SWM (saltwater for waterchages) and RO (for top-off) water I use.
 

abrand

Member
thanks so much for the advice.. I guess with this being my first tank I want all chemistry to be perfect in it. But I am quickly learning that it will never be perfect and as long as stuff is alive and well I should be happy.
Thanks again guys
 

subielover

Active Member
I think you will have trouble getting your nitrates to stay low. You have 3 fish in a 10 gallon tank, that is pushing it to the max. I would consider ditching one of the clowns.
Weekly water changes will definitely help though.
 

locoyo386

Member
I agree 3 fish might be alot in a 10 gallon, I still think is doable with proper care.
Originally Posted by subielover
http:///forum/post/2911370
I think you will have trouble getting your nitrates to stay low. You have 3 fish in a 10 gallon tank, that is pushing it to the max. I would consider ditching one of the clowns.
Weekly water changes will definitely help though.
In one of my 10's I have 2 damsels and 1 crhomis. Not sure how the bioload compares to 2 clowns and 1 goby, I do think the damsels are smaller when fully grown. Yeah 3 fish is pushing it to the max.
 

pete159

Member
10g is tiny for saltwater. maybe its time to bite the bullet and upgrade.
Bigger tanks are much more fun.
i started with a 24g aquapod and soon regretted it. now I have a 46g bowfront which is better, but now i want a 150g
 

abrand

Member
I totally agree, I really need to upgrade. Funds are slim right now though, but I graduate college in May then I think I am splurging and going to get a 34 gallon solana.
 
V

vince-1961

Guest
You can get a much larger aquarium for super cheap if you just shop around craigslist, ----, your local mini-storage auctions or even just the want ads. For example, for $500, I got a 200 g DT, a 65 sump, the stand, all the plumbing that made it work, extra plumbing stuff, mag floats, rocks, sand and some fish.
 
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