Nitrates In New Tank

[dave2208]

Ok I Started A 34 Gallon Tank 8 Days Ago. I Have 35 Pounds Of What
They Said Was Premium Live Rock And About 20 Pounds Of Live Sand
(about 2"depth). I Keep Checking My Levels And At Day 7 Heres What They Are= Ph- 8.3
Am- 0
Nitrites- 0
Alk- 2.3
Nitrates- 80 Isn't This Way Two High?
Temp- 77-80
Also I Checked Ca And It Was Very Low Like 200.
What Problems Do You See, Please Explain!!!!
Thanks For Your Time
Dave

 

[nycbob]

8 days is still a bit early for the tank to fully cycled. alk is a bit low. hv u added anything to ur tank yet? wait a few days, and test again. if nitrate is still high, chng 30% of the water, then test again. eventually it will go down. u can try a product called "cycle". i hv heard people using it to speed up the nitrogen cycle. i used it when i first started my tank long time ago. it doesnt do any harm.

 

[dave2208]

Originally Posted by nycbob
8 days is still a bit early for the tank to fully cycled. alk is a bit low. hv u added anything to ur tank yet? wait a few days, and test again. if nitrate is still high, chng 30% of the water, then test again. eventually it will go down. u can try a product called "cycle". i hv heard people using it to speed up the nitrogen cycle. i used it when i first started my tank long time ago. it doesnt do any harm.

I'M NOT TRYING TO SPEED UP THE CYCLE AND BESIDES THE ROCK AND SAND THEIRS NOTHING ELSE IN TANK, I WAS JUST CONCERNED WITH HOW HIGH THE NITRATES ARE.

 

[nycbob]

its all part of the cycle w high nitrate. the product i described will add more nitrifying bacteria to help lower it.

 

[scubaguy]

Originally Posted by DAVE2208
I'M NOT TRYING TO SPEED UP THE CYCLE AND BESIDES THE ROCK AND SAND THEIRS NOTHING ELSE IN TANK, I WAS JUST CONCERNED WITH HOW HIGH THE NITRATES ARE.
I have used the cycle and a raw piece of shrimp. You have to feed the bacteria in the rock either by ghost feeding or with the raw piece of shrimp. nycbob probably was not trying to get you to fast cycle but showing how to start the process.

 

[ophiura]

You do not need to add anything, and there really is not much you can add for nitrate anyway (the bacteria that convert nitrate are anaerobic, and mature in a deep sand bed, or deep in live rock). Nitrate levels are reduced by water changes, macroalgae, etc in most of our tanks.
Products like "cycle" are no where near as good as LR. Ditto for biospira. Save the money on the bottled marketing and get real live rock.

Even if the LFS recommends this, get more live rock.
But obviously, live rock and cycle or whatever may not be the main issue..nitrates would indicate these bacteria are alive and very well!
But I would be concerned by those nitrate numbers. But nitrate kits can be iffy, so first get the reading double checked at an LFS or another hobbyist.
I would then "challenge" the tank with some raw shrimp, or even a bunch of fish food. See if you get an ammonia spike say over a week. If the rock is cured, you may not.
If that is the case, I would say water changes are in order to get the nitrate levels down.

 

[snaredrum]

Originally Posted by nycbob
its all part of the cycle w high nitrate. the product i described will add more nitrifying bacteria to help lower it.

What he said. I would do a 20% water change after the cycle is complete and nitrates are lower. Then start adding stock SLOWLY!