nitrate level

[cathy joe]

i have a 29gal tank, i need to do a water change. my nitrate level is up. how much water do i need to change?is 20ppm high?

 

[cathy joe]

yes it has cycled. no fish just lost 3 fish to ick, have brittle star, 2 peppermint shrimp, 1 skunk cleaner and a scallop. they get feed 1 time a day. have live sand and rock

 

[cathy joe]

have live sand and rock. the tank cycle in 1month, has been going for 2months. is 20ppm high for nitrate. if i do a water change how much for 29gal tank

 

[cathy joe]

thanks for the advice, what do you think could have spike the nitrate and not the ammomia. the fish came out as soon as they died. it has been 2 weeks since they died. will the nitrate level keep getting higher if nothing is done

 

[cathy joe]

only have 20lbs of live rock, and 10 blue legged hermitcrabs. would more of a clean up crew help keep the level down

 

[cathy joe]

did not know any better at first and was using water from the sink, using a declorinator. got a high phosphate level from that, and started using bottled water

 

[cathy joe]

will the 50% water change bother the mushrooms or polyps?

 

[cathy joe]

We were thinking of going up to a 55g tank, could we put what we have in that and then add water without having to cycle again? And would that bring the nitrate down?

 

[soccer4life94]

I could be wrong, but with a new tank. 20ppm Nitrates is not HORRIBLE. Yes, you want to shoot for zero, but a new tank is going to have some nitrates until it gets established. I think it would be better to address, are you running a refugium? That will help cut your nitrates down. According to my LFS and the guys who help me out all the time, 20 is acceptable in a new tank. Now, if over a long period of time it never goes down, then you need to check into whats keeping them up. As long as it isnt going much higher than 20...you should be ok. As for the water change. From my experience, even if you use the old tanks water, you may still get a cycle in the new tank. Going from 29-55 is only about 50% of your old water. It would be best to just cycle that tank while this one is still running then move things over.

 

[dreeves]

How long did the dead fish sit in the tank? 20ppm is not awfully high for a fish only tank...but you have inverts...
Steer away from large water changes...smaller more frequent is a better approach (in my own little opinion)...you have to becareful to avoid drastic chemistry changes with your tank...especially with your starfish...more robust specimens can usually tank sudden changes...but it should still be avoided...could also wreak havoc with your bio-filtration which sounds stressed already...
As far as your nitrate without amonia...amonia will be consumed and be gone...same with nitrites...nitrates are more difficult to remove...usually requiring our intervention...several things could be going on...if you havent been conducting water changes regularly..and the changes you were doing with the tap water could have built up the nitrate...
You had Ich in your tank...you need to address that issue prior to adding any other fish, or switching to a larger tank.
Good luck.