Reducing Ammonia, Nitrite, and Nitrate

[scsaltywater]

Please tell me what to buy to reduce ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. I need to reduce these levels as QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE

What is the best brand out there to use that will do it in the quickest time period.
Thanks.

 

[mandarin w]

How big is your tank? How long has it been up and running?
What did you add to your tank to cause the spike in these levels? What are your levels?
The best and safest way to reduce these levels, is to do water changes. Change about 20% everyother day. You should not look for a magic potion to fix the problems. You should look for why the levels are up and fix that.

 

[hatessushi]

The ammonia and nitrite should go away on there own once the tank has finished cycling then do a 20% water change to lower the nitrates. If the tank is already cycled and you added to many animals at one time then it could cause another cycle. It's always best to add one fish at a time and then wait 2 or 3 weeks between adding another so the tank can adjust.

 

[scsaltywater]

My tank is 90 gallons, and i used tap water with conditioner. Due to my own error, I ordered a lot of fish/reefs/corals/inverts from this site, thinking it was more or less like fresh water fish. But after reading several threads, I see my huge error. I need to get these levels down as quickly as possible before the shipment arrives.

By the way, thanks for your quick response.

 

[hot883]

Water changes will help. I don't understand your thinking though. Freshwater and saltwater BOTH need a bacteria in there to control and consume waste.
What exactly do you have in the tank now. EVERYTHING listed will help. Also what do you have coming?

 

[mandarin w]

Sorry to say, there is no way to cycle a new tank in a few days. If you just ordered, maybe you can contact site, and ask them if they can cancel your order. If they can't or wont cancel, see if there is someone in your area with a tank that is set up and established. Maybe they will fish sit for you. Or check you LFS local fish store and see if they will hold them for you.
Since your tank is new and nothing is in there yet. and the tank hasn't cycled yet. I would take the water out, and replace it with RO saltwater. Using the tap water to set up your tank, conditioner or not, will cause a very bad alge outbreak. You haven't gone that far down the road, so it will be alot easier to backup and start over.

 

[scsaltywater]

first of all, i love your bike there. i have a 2005 harley softtail deluxe (pearl white/chrome blue). I have all those things coming in (more fish/reefs/corals/inverts). So far, I currently have about 10 fish, with about 25 or 30 more fish to come...along with some coral/reefs/and inverts.
I also have live rock, live sand, crushed coral. I'm using purple up to help with the process of algea. Also, I used Bio-shere that's SUPPOSE to cycle your aquarium over night. Have you ever heard of that product?

 

[alyssia]

You're planning on putting how many fish in this tank? 25 to 30 more? :scared:

 

[hot883]

I suspect troll.

 

[alyssia]

Originally Posted by hot883
I suspect troll.

Barry, we think alike. I was just wondering that myself...

 

[fbm]

All this does is waste the time of people who are willing to help.

 

[scsaltywater]

Sorry for my stupidity "fbm." I was only wondering if there's a way to correct my error, and thought this would be the perfect forum to get some help/advice...not to get ridiculed over something I realized NOW is wrong.
I am still open to any advice/suggestions to where maybe I can work around this problem. So far, the 8 fish I do have seem to be doing just fine. But I tested my water and the ammonia, nitrite, and nitrates are a little high...but not off the charts.

 

[1journeyman]

Go to the nearest pet store and buy a LOT of fully CURED live rock. That's the only way to get enough bacteria into your tank...
Now...
There are several questions being asked that you need to answer to get more help. What fish? Lights? Corals? Filtration? Etc....

 

[royal gang]

cleaner clam can help

 

[scubaguy]

I can not wait to see where this will go

 

[1journeyman]

Originally Posted by ROYAL GANG
cleaner clam can help

The absolute last thing you want to do is add something else that can die...

 

[scsaltywater]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
Go to the nearest pet store and buy a LOT of fully CURED live rock. That's the only way to get enough bacteria into your tank...
Now...
There are several questions being asked that you need to answer to get more help. What fish? Lights? Corals? Filtration? Etc....

I have roughly 100lbs of live cured rock already (it's the rock they keep in water). I also have live sand, crushed coral, and carrib sand.
As for the light, I have a 130 watt Aqualight.
For the fish, I have several different kinds...2 tangs, 2 clown (nemo) fish, small angel fish, salt water mollies, and 2 others that I can't recall their names.
Filters: Emperor 400 and Emperor 280, Aquaclear 30 and Aquaclear 20, and a prizm skimmer deluxe.
Heater is set on 78 degrees
I used Bio-Sphere cycling chemical which is suppose to allow you to put fish in the tank on the next day. I've also used Cycle in there.
My readings are not "off the charts," but enough of a concern to where I hope I can get it through the cycling process faster, and reduce the levels, before the new coral/reefs/fish/inverts come in. I don't have any reefs/corals/or inverts yet.
Thanks for your understanding and assistance.

 

[1journeyman]

Ok...
1. If you are showing ammonia then the rock was not fully cured. Keep doing water changes, every day, until ammonia is at 0.0
2. Don't combine sand and CC.
3. I'm not familiar with your light... what kind of bulbs are they?
4. What other fish did you order? sounds like your tank is going to be very overloaded.
5. "Cycle", Bio, etc. are worthless imho.
6. Any ammonia is toxic to fish/inverts/corals.
What did you order?

 

[scsaltywater]

Originally Posted by 1journeyman
Ok...
1. If you are showing ammonia then the rock was not fully cured. Keep doing water changes, every day, until ammonia is at 0.0
2. Don't combine sand and CC.
3. I'm not familiar with your light... what kind of bulbs are they?
4. What other fish did you order? sounds like your tank is going to be very overloaded.
5. "Cycle", Bio, etc. are worthless imho.
6. Any ammonia is toxic to fish/inverts/corals.
What did you order?
They are flourscent bulbs for reefs. It's a 48 inch double lamp fixture (2 - 65 watt 50/50 straight pin...basically 130 watts). This is a 90 gallon aquarium.
As for fish/reef/coral/inverts...look at the list below (all from this site):
3-Green Chromis
1-55-100 Gallon Reef Package
1-Leather - Toadstool
1-Mushroom Polyp - Green Ricordea
1-Pink Tip Haitian Anemone
1-Sand Sifting Cucumber
1-Chalk Basslet
1-Royal Gramma
1-Lyretail Anthias - Male
2-Lyretail Anthias - Female
1-Powder Blue Tang
1-Naso Tang
1-Bluehead Wrasse
1-Kent Super Buffer
1-Shaving Brush - Group of 5
1-Hawaiian Blue Puffer
1-Brain Coral - Moon
1-Cleaner Shrimp
1-Brittle Starfish
1-Red Tree Sponge
1-Purple Urchin - Group of 2
2-Firefish Goby
1-Cleaner Shrimp
3-Cleaner Clam
1-Queen Conch - Aquacultured
1-Persian Sand Conch - Aquacultured
3-Fighting Conch - Aquacultured
1-Coral Beauty Angelfish (A)
1-Pearlscale Butterfly
2-Mandarin Dragonet - Green
2-Mandarin Dragonet - Spotted
Thanks again

 

[fbm]

How big is this tank? Do you have a wet/dry filter? Maybe go to you lfs that sells salt water and beg/plead/steal some of his bioballs that he uses in his saltwater systems. These will have tons of beneficial bacteria that should help right away.