Nitrate levels

[wilson717]

What do I do for High nitrate levels. ( It is at the top of the chart)
My tank has been set up for 3 1/2 weeks. The ammonia and nitrite levels are low but not 0. DO I need to do a water change or should I wait till the ammonia and nitrite are at 0.
I have a cleanup crew in my tank and two clown fish. They all seem to be doing fine. I have algae growing in my tank that the snails are taking care of. Please help with my nitrate problem.
Rob

 

[laddy]

What kind of biological/mechanical filtration do you have? Your tank is going through the normal nitrogen cycle all tanks go through at first, you just need to have some patience.

 

[teen]

id wait for ammonia to reach zero, then wait a little longer and see if youre nitrite gets to zero. if youre nitrite doesnt reach zero in say, a week or two, then id do a water change.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by wilson717
What do I do for High nitrate levels. ( It is at the top of the chart)
My tank has been set up for 3 1/2 weeks. The ammonia and nitrite levels are low but not 0. DO I need to do a water change or should I wait till the ammonia and nitrite are at 0.
I have a cleanup crew in my tank and two clown fish. They all seem to be doing fine. I have algae growing in my tank that the snails are taking care of. Please help with my nitrate problem.
Rob
How big is this tank? I am curious to know how your nitrates have spiked that high in 3 1/2 weeks. What exactly are all of your readings? Ex. Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Salinity, ph?

 

[wilson717]

Originally Posted by sepulatian
How big is this tank? I am curious to know how your nitrates have spiked that high in 3 1/2 weeks. What exactly are all of your readings? Ex. Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Salinity, ph?

The tank is 24 gallons.
Ammonia <0.25 ppm
Nitrite 0.05<.1ppm
salinity 1.024
ph 8.4<8.6
nitrate 250ppm
I started with 15 bag of LS and 35-40 lb of LR.
I have an internal sponge filter, bioballs, activated charcoal, that pulls through all levels of the back of the tank.

 

[stanlalee]

I'd say those results are impossible. two clowns and a clean up crew cant generate that kind of spike in 3wks. If your liverock was that dead, with die off that quickly you would a) have all dead livestock b) have a high ammonia spike since at this point its the main filtration and if it were the cause of 250ppm nitrates it aint filtering much of anything. I would have to believe you have a test kit malfunction. I'd take the water to a pet store for second oppinion. I'd test the mixing water (after mixing) your using as well to make sure it and the salt are nitrate free to begin with. I still say its the test kit or testing. your clean up crew and clowns wouldn't be doing fine. nitrate that high is toxic to fish and crustasceans.

 

[sepulatian]

Originally Posted by Stanlalee
I'd say those results are impossible. two clowns and a clean up crew cant generate that kind of spike in 3wks. If your liverock was that dead, with die off that quickly you would a) have all dead livestock b) have a high ammonia spike since at this point its the main filtration and if it were the cause of 250ppm nitrates it aint filtering much of anything. I would have to believe you have a test kit malfunction. I'd take the water to a pet store for second oppinion. I'd test the mixing water (after mixing) your using as well to make sure it and the salt are nitrate free to begin with. I still say its the test kit or testing. your clean up crew and clowns wouldn't be doing fine. nitrate that high is toxic to fish and crustasceans.
I completely agree.

 

[wilson717]

bump

 

[ninjamini]

It is possible that some of the rock he bought had been fully cured and some was not. The fully cures stuff make quick process of the junk from the other rocks and its own die off. Now with levels falling nitrates are going through the roof. Those poor fish and inverts. It would have been better to wait till ammonia & nitrites were at 0 to add them. This is a hobby that has to be taken slow. Now wait till ammonia & nitrites hit zero and then do a big h2o change.

 

[wilson717]

I have found that my test kit was off when I compared the tank water to RO water. The ammonia and nitrites were at 0 when fish were added. My Nitrates are just still high.

 

[wilson717]

my ammonia is 0 nitrites 0 nitrates still high
How much water should I change of my 24 gal to reduce the nitrates??