question about nitrates

[rasnme]

I have a 30 gal tank that has been up and running for about 5 months now everything has been great all the water test have been good up till last week my nitrates went up to 40 my PH is at 8.2, ammonia is 0 & nitrite is also 0.. In my tank I have 1 feather duster, 1 flame scallop, 1 scooter bleeny, damsels 1 blue velet 1 4-strip & 3 chromis, 1 clown and 1 green mandarien I also have snails and blue legged crabs, LR and CC. My filter is a 330 penguin, i have a pwerhead 301, 1 coralife actinic 360 output 20watt 100% actinic 03 blue & a life-glo 6700k.. Could someone tell me why my nitrates are going up and if this is a bad thing, if it is how can I get it to where it should be before something happens to my fish

( I just changed all the filters and will be doing a water change tomorrow) please :help: thank u

 

[greatfullreefer]

Do you have live rock/sand? How long have you had that many fish? Did you change filters all at the same time? How often and how much do you feed? How often do you do water changes and how much at a time?

 

[sweetdawn]

using tap water will make high nitrates. your penguin if it has bio wheels can increase your nitrates. too many fish can increase your nitrates. water changes can decrease your nitrates(as long as you dont use tap water) so can plants.

 

[rasnme]

Yes I have about 15 lbs of live rock, I have had the fish for about 1 month total of being together. I do water changes once a month with nutri-seawater about 5 gals at a time, top offs are done with tap water treated with ammonia detox & yes my penguin does have a bio-wheel. No plants in the tank.. Do I have to many fish for my tank???

 

[sweetdawn]

do you have any corals? I buy salt water at my lfs for a dollar a gallon (shh dont tell my husband that) If your nitrates are high you could change more water than five gallons. I have a twenty five gallon tank I do a five gallon water change once a week. i have unplugged my penquin to see if my nitrates will lower. I panicked one day and put in tap water when my protein skimmer came apart and dumped at least six gallons of water on the floor and i didnt have any water on hand. I treated the water first and I am still fighting with my nitrates. I only have two fish because I have corals. I would take back some of the damsels mean little devils

 

[sweetdawn]

oh and get more live rock fifteen pounds is not very much I have 25 ppounds in my 25 gallon tank and I am curing 10 pounds more

 

[drkdweller]

if it makes you feel better my nitrates are between 80 and 120