ok, need some advice

[badkjb2]

here is the deal. ive had my tank up and running for almost 2 years. it is a 55 gal. i did water changes regularly for the first year, then started slackin off. started doin them again about 2 months ago cause my nitrates went throw the roof. i had a fish die soon after doing the water changes, so the nitrates have only went down slightly. now, i wake up this morning, and my yellow tang, which i have had from the beggining, is in bad shape. this will leave me with 1 clown fish, i chromis, and 1 damsel. my question is, with the lighter fish load, will the nitrates go down with water changes? or is there some other cause for these nitrates, which i believe is killing these fish.

 

[bang guy]

Your Nitrates are not killing your fish. I would look for another cause.
Can you test your water and let us know all the vitals?

 

[jauringer]

what are your test readings? how did you prepare your water for the water change? Small, frequent water changes will bring your nitrates down.

 

[badkjb2]

i did a water change 2 times a week for the past month. nitrates went down a little. all my other levels are fine. i cant figure this thing out. my water changes are done by mixing the salt, and letting it sit for a few hours so that the level of the new water is pretty comparable to the tanks.

 

[badkjb2]

here goes. my ammonia is 0, nitrite 0. nitrates between 100-150. ph is 8.3. salintiy is 1.022. i use instant ocean salt mix.

 

[bang guy]

Water seem normal...but then you knew that.
What are the symptoms your Tang is showing? Anything worth posting in the disease Forum?

 

[badkjb2]

my water source was the local fish store with R/O water, but i noticed i had alot of algae with it. so i switched to r/o water from the store. i think over feeding was a problem with the nitrates, so i have really cut back. the tang was hiding last night, then this morning, he was still hiding, i tried to feed him, he picked at a little food when he came out. didnt even look like he ate it. then he got caught in a power head. so he is pretty weak.

 

[badkjb2]

i wish i could qt him, but i live in a small place, and have no room at all. cant wait to get a bigger place, that would be one of the first things i got. (besides a bigger tank!!)

 

[jonthefb]

whats your clean up crew like? if you are overeedign and the extra food is settling on the substrate and decaying this could definately lead to hig nitrates.....beefing up your cavengers, such as nassarius snails, hermit crabs, brittle stars, etc will help to remove excess nutrients!
good luck
jon

 

[badkjb2]

well, the tang finally gave up. now im pissed off cause i dont know what caused it. i had hime for almost 2 years. even though its not a long time to have a tang with there life expectance, but its long enough so you get use to the fish. well, before he gets replaced, the problem WILL be solved!!