Nitrates are at 20 ppm

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jay179

Aquarium Advice Regular
Joined
Apr 7, 2010
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Hi I do a ten gallon water change every week on my 75 gallon tank. I use RO water and I test to water before adding it to the tank. Ever since I added my huma, my nitrate levels have spiked to 20 ppm from 10 ppm. I was wondering if there is anything I can do to get my nitrates back to more comfortable levels. All of my other water parameters are good. My tank is only 3 months old. I was feeding the fish 3 times a day now I am only feeding them twice a day. I also have a maroon clownfish and two yellowtail damsels. Basically am I getting into dangerous territory with my nitrate levels?
 
You're feeding too often still. Most feed once daily, and there are some, including me, that feed only every other day.

What are you feding by the way? Triggers need meat, so i assume you're feeding more of that now with that addition.

20ppm is totally acceptable for a fish only tank anyway.
 
I am feeding the trigger and clownfish frozen mysis and brine

I also bought a frozen cocktail that consists of squid, mysis, brine and krill. The problem is that everytime they see me the huma and clownfish start begging me for food. I get soft and end up feeding them. They should be alright to feed them every other day or only once a day. I know the huma likes to eat.
 
Your humu is also taking some food back into your rock work and leaving pieces of it there to decay (if he's anything like mine; a pig, glutton, slob). I used to feed him big chunks but he made such a mess that he now gets smaller pieces that he can swallow whole. Between that and the scooping up mouth fulls of sand and spitting them everywhere not to mention being a pest and ripping the nori off the clip and spitting that everywhere also..He's a real pleasure.

Assuming you're talking about a Humu Trigger
 
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For a FOWLR tank 20 ppm is not all that bad. The goal is 0 but sometimes is hard to obtain esp. in a tank with triggers and other messy eaters.
 
If you want to reduce them try bigger water changes for awhile. That worked for me when I got mine down for 160ppm
 
Yeah, but only add the chaeto if you have proper lighting for it. If you don't it will die off and cause your system more trouble than just 20ppm of nitrates.
 
+1 Zer0, If you add it, a desk lamp or a simple "plant grow bulb" will work really well. Chaeto doesnt need much.
 
What kind of filtration do you have? It's not high now but maybe adding a skimmer if you don't have one will help lower it or may be your current filtration is not functioning properly for some reason is not adequate. Just another thought avenue to make sure of.
 
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