Nitrates High Salt Low

vikki7

vikki7

Member
I am a brand new owner of a salt water Nano Cube 12 gal tank.
I got it for Christmas this year.
It has One Feather duster, One Live Rock, One crab, one spider looking thing with blue pinchers, One red clown and one Nemo looking fish.
All levels were fine till day before yesterday. I added a Yellow Tang right before Newyears. He got white spots on him. Then died. I took some water to the pet shop and it was tested, said my nitrates were at the highest level.
So I did a water change to bring it down. Thought I was doing it right, but the salt now is very low and nitrates are high.
All fish are dying and the spider thing died this am.
I do not know what to do.
the filtration came with the nano cube 12 gal tank.
And like I said it was an established tank when I got it.
Help please
 
jacknjill

jacknjill

Active Member
the yellow tang dies because he got ich from being stressed from being in a tank extremely too small for him
 
jacknjill

jacknjill

Active Member
maybe you had an ammonia spike from a heavy bioload? try doing a water change to bring the nitrates down
 
vikki7

vikki7

Member
Salinity is between 0.020 and 0.021
it was between 0.022 and 0.023 Which I was told was the correct reading.
I have one nemo fish right now trying to suck air ie
he is at the top of the water level acting like he needs air
I did water changes all day yesterday to try and get the salt up.
but nothing yet.
I have stopped doing anything so not to disturbe anything else til I know what to do exactly.
Thanks for all your help
 
jacknjill

jacknjill

Active Member
well you could raise the salinity to about 1.024 and that would befine, but i dont know why its not going up
 
vikki7

vikki7

Member
I dont know either... I worked all day long yesterday changing out tank water with equal amounts of salt water.
I went through 4 gals of salt water ..ie put back into the tank
and still the salt is down.
My poor fishys
What else will help stabalize the bio in the tank?
Do I need to get more live rock or something like that that is natural...to the environment.
 
vikki7

vikki7

Member
One more thing... my nemo clown.... has ich
should I treat him in the tank as it is?
It still has the feather dusters which seem to be doing ok.
But, I am loosing fish daily, so I will see .... salt and nitrate still the same levels
 
jacknjill

jacknjill

Active Member
there are some products that are "reef safe" but they arent supposed to work very well. your best bet would be to set up a qt tank and do hyposalinty or a copper treatment. go to the disease forum and there are some stickies at the top on setting up a qt tank and treating ich
 
vikki7

vikki7

Member
Mardel/ Virbac for saltwater ... I am using the strips
Just lost my Nemo......
But my little spider looking think is moving again.. not sure about him....
Feather dusters are still alive
But one more thing, I have tons of algee growing.
 
clarkiiclo

clarkiiclo

Active Member
Also- what kind of water are you using? RO? RO/DI? Tap water?
What kind of salt are you using? Is it the same salt that has been used in the tank?
What is the temp in the tank?
 
clarkiiclo

clarkiiclo

Active Member
Another thing I noticed is that you said you are using the filtration that came with the nano. If you are using the bioballs that could be a problem. They will build up trates quickly.
Also the sponges need rinsed on a monthly basis minimum.
I personally have live rock rubble in my filter instread of the bioballs.
 
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