High Nitrate?

[gilly]

What should i do with high nitrate now? I dont have any corals but i do have some fish and shrimps, will it effect them?

 

[PatM]

Numerous small water changes is the best way to reduce nitrates. Those large water changes are a stress to the system. Then do your best to keep them down. It's a lot easier to keep them down with small weekly changes than to have these big emergency situations. And yes, invertebrates are the most affected by high nitrates. Fish can tolerate it but will be much healthier the lower the nitrates are.

 

[lando]

You need to find and eliminate the source of the nitrates in order to keep them down. Water changes are your best way to get your tank back in order, but if you have not found the source they will just keep coming back. What size tank, what is your current livestock list, type of filtration, feeding schedule, and amount of LR?

 

[aquafreak]

...my nitrates are in the .25 range but my aquarium seems to be doing just fine -- even the shrimps and starfish.

i wouldn't worry too much right at first if the levels are relatively low.

 

[tripper]

Aquafreak, do you mean .25 or 25? .25 is almost non-existant and I would not be surprised if your tank would be doing fine. 25 is a little on the high side, but inverts and fish should be ok.

 

[gilly]

my nitrate is at 1.44
the LFS said i should do some water changes with filter water. I have been doing water changes on tap water which has been running for a week. Should i use the filter/purified water to do my water changes?


i have a 25 gallon tank with clowns, BTA, cleaner shrimp and fire shrimps.

 

[PatM]

Yeah I have to agree, 25 is a little high, but 40 ppm is really the panic point for invertebrates. gilly what are your readings? Embarassing as it is when I started out I had readings as high as 80 ppm in a reef with very little ill effects, though this was short term, I just wasn't well informed and did not test often enough. I pesonally have found that a sump/fuge with macro algae is the best way to go, IMO. With this method I have experienced for the first time an absolute 0 reading in nitrates, ammonia, and nitrites. Testing weekly really ensures that you don't get to that "panic" point. Lando is on the right track, get the nitrates down, but then of course determine what is pushing your tank into the "red zone".

 

[gilly]

how does nitrate rise? do i overfeed? i was told not to use tap water to do water changes now since they have lots of nutrience. Can you let me know what are some causes of nitrate to go up then i can start my search.

Thanks

 

[electrikat]

What kind of filter are you running? They are notorious nitrate factories depending on what kind you are using.

 

[gilly]

im running just the eclipse 2 filter and a power head in my tank. Maybe its time to change the carbon and filter

 

[gilly]

does nitrate goes up if i overfeed?

 

[Phyl]

Absolutely! More food=more waste (both fish waste and uneaten food)=more nitrates. Dirty filter media, bio balls or too many fish could also be contributing factors.

 

[thedukeman]

Do you have a LS bed? If so how deep is it? Also if your running a protein skimmer or anything with bio media, you need to clean them on a regular basis.