Uh oh...is this the problem (Nitrates)

shelley

shelley

Member
I've noticed a spike in nitrates in my 30 gallon. I just read a similar post regarding a 25(?) gallon and the number of fish to the tank. Do I maybe have too many fish?? If not, how many more can I safely add?
Diamond Goby (about 4")
PJ Cardinal (about 1.5")
Royal Gramma (about 2.5")
False Clown (about 2.5")
The others are crabs or inverts. Do I count these as well?
Thanks!
 
farslayer

farslayer

Active Member
crabs and inverts typically don't count. Yes, I think you have too many fish. A good rule of thumb is 1 inch of fish per 5 gallons of water, so you could have about 6 inches of adult fish. You currently have 10.5" of fish. This may not be out of the question, just make sure you have enough LR and a skimmer to help keep nitrates low. You should calculate your nitrate production rate. Do a water change, then measure your nitrates. Then, the next time you do a water change, measure nitrates BEFORE the water change and compare it with your previous reading; the difference is your nitrate production, which you want to bring to 0.
 
tx reef

tx reef

Active Member
Originally Posted by Shelley
I've noticed a spike in nitrates in my 30 gallon. I just read a similar post regarding a 25(?) gallon and the number of fish to the tank. Do I maybe have too many fish?? If not, how many more can I safely add?
Diamond Goby (about 4")
PJ Cardinal (about 1.5")
Royal Gramma (about 2.5")
False Clown (about 2.5")
The others are crabs or inverts. Do I count these as well?
Thanks!

You do not have too many fish in my opinion, but you are maxed out.I would not add any more fish to the system.
What type of filtration are you running? Sump/refugium, live rock, HOB filter, canister filter, etc......
 
puffer32

puffer32

Active Member
Your ok IMO, try cutting down on feedings, small maxed tanks can get dirty with left over food falling into crevices pretty quickly. In my nano, i do 30% weekly changes cause my bioload is pushed to the max, I use a powerhead first to get all the junk floating, then suck it out with a hose. Extra care is needed to keep my ammonia and trites at 0 and trates at 10.
 
stanlalee

stanlalee

Active Member
I dont think you have too many fish. the problem may be the size they've grown if your sizing is accurate. I know they say gamma's can grow that big but I have never seen one over 2" and I cant remember the last time I saw a false perc over 2" as well. you shouldn't add anymore fish. you didn't say how high your nitrates were or what type of filtration you have.
 
S

saltfreak4

Guest
Do you have plants? They will process some of the trates and keep them under control.
 
majakarot

majakarot

Member
you should be fine as long as you do REGULAR water changes... it seems to be the end-all in nitrate problems
 
shelley

shelley

Member
I think my fish sizes are relatively accurate. I'm attaching photos. Maybe I have my fish names wrong! LOL! I have a little over 30# live rock and am running a hang on the back filter as well with a Red Sea skimmer. My ammonia has never been over 0 but my Nitrates are running about 80 ppm. I don't have that great of a test kit. It seems since I've had the tank (1 year) I have never been able to get the Nitrates below 20 ppm. I don't have any plants. Thanks to everyone who responded!
 
shelley

shelley

Member
Great...another thing I just noticed while changing my filter. It was on backwards! I had the carbon in the front when it's supposed to be in the back and the filter with the white scruffy stuff on the back when it's supposed to be on the front! Would this matter??
 
S

saltfreak4

Guest
probably not going to matter when it comes to the trates. I really would get some caulerpa or chaeto. These are macroalgae (plants) that will reduce your trates naturally. Please don't think you shouldn't do water changes because you should! But just to replenish the nature trace elements in the tank, not because of nitrates. If you have the proper balance of plants to animals in the tank, they should take care of the nitrate problem.
 
sepulatian

sepulatian

Moderator
Originally Posted by saltfreak4
probably not going to matter when it comes to the trates. I really would get some caulerpa or chaeto. These are macroalgae (plants) that will reduce your trates naturally. Please don't think you shouldn't do water changes because you should! But just to replenish the nature trace elements in the tank, not because of nitrates. If you have the proper balance of plants to animals in the tank, they should take care of the nitrate problem.
I agree with everything here. The plants will work well in a refuge. Most fish love to nibble on the chaeto and Caulerpa if it is in the display tank. Also Shelly, you should know that your trates should be below 10ppm if you have corals in there. I think I read in another of your posts that you do. Below 30 for fish and below 10 for corals. I know that lowering them is what you are trying to do, I just wasn't sure if you were aware of that.
 
puffer32

puffer32

Active Member
Its really hard to get trates to 0, I rarely can, but everything in my tank is healthy at 10/20 trates, just get them down to as close to 0 as you can, don't fret if you have some trates, most of us do!
 
shelley

shelley

Member
Thanks! Actually, getting them down to 10 is a major accomplishment for me! I have never been able to get them below 20 for some reason!
 
puffer32

puffer32

Active Member
I couldn't get mine down past 30 until I decided to be more aggressive and do a 40% water change in my 150, 2 weeks in a row, thats alot of water. This is the first time my trates have been down to 10. First 40% change got them down from 30 to 20, second one got them down to 10. Last few changes were my usual 20% and my trates don't budge.I do weekly 30% in my 15 gal nano helps keep any potential problems from developing imo. Things can go bad fast in a small tank.
 
shelley

shelley

Member
Wow! This hobby is quite a bit of work, isn't it? LOL! You know, I don't vacumn my sand bed when I do a water change. I'm wondering if maybe I should?? My sand bed is only 2.5" at the deepest point. I've never done more than a 15-20% water change, and that's leaning more towards the 15% mark! Guess I'm just paranoid. Should I be taking out more??
 
farslayer

farslayer

Active Member
You know I've never had trouble with nitrates? I maintain no more than 1 inch of fish per 5 gallons of water, I keep a lot of LR with coraline coverage, plus I invest in a

[hr]
skimmer. I honestly can't remember when I last had detectable nitrates, but maybe I'm just really lucky :) I have a 125G and I do a 15 to 20 percent water change weekly.
 
shelley

shelley

Member
I wouldn't consider my skimmer heavy duty. Maybe I need to invest in another. I never did weekly water changes because I was told only do them every 2-3 weeks (not on this board). Should I be doing weekly changes??
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top