10 ppm Nitrates harmful?

[uh duh]

I finally finished cycling my tank and have couple tangs and damsels in my 55gal tank. However I test the water using the AP master test kit and the readings are:

10ppm nitrate
0 nitrite
0 ammonia
8.2 ph

I do pwc's once a week but the nitrates stay at 10ppm. I just found out my RO water that I mix has nitrates at 10ppm. I plan to get 2 more fish at most and couple corals. Now is there any reasonable way to get rid of the nitrates? Or can I just let it be without it affecting the fish and corals. Thanks in advance

 

[austinsdad]

Optimum is 0, I believe. But 10 is within an acceptable range. 2 kinds of tangs in a 55g that you "finally finished cycling" sounds like the source of your nitrate problem. I'm surpised they are only at 10ppg. Watch'm. They may go up at any time. Watch your feedings too.

What kinds of tang? How large? What kinda substrate?

 

[Brenden]

A nitrate reading of 10 ppm is OK for fish only. Corals will not last with it that high. Small WC's will not do much to lower the nitrate. You must do larger changes to see a difference. You may also what to get your water checked by a LFS. I recently had a test kit give me false nitrate reading.

 

[uh duh]

I have 2 tangs in there that are only about 2 inches, 1 Blue tang and one sailfin, + 3 little damsels about an inch big. And couple hermit crabs and turbo snails too(dont know if this increases nitrate).

The tank has been staying at 10ppm for several weeks now and I just cant get it to 0. And I measured the RO water I'm using and its at 10ppm too. I'm careful about feeding so hopefully that won't raise the nitrates. Perhaps its the aquarium pharmaceuticals testing kit thats off? I'll try the LFS and see if they can test it.

I want to get couple small 1"-2" corals as a start but don't want them to die right off the bat because of nitrates. Thanks you for the help, Hopefully I can find a way to reduce the nitrates!

 

[seaham358]

More info on the tank would help LR, LR skimmer ect. It sounds like you may have found your problem, you say the new water is at 10 already? If so then your tank will never get lower then 10 if you keep topping off with water that had NO3 in it already. RO water is fine if there is no NO# or PO4 in it. You need to use ro/di water to get the NO3 out of the tank.
Those 2 tangs are not going to do well long term in a tank that small. They need a 125++ gallon tank.

 

[melosu58]

I was just about to say that later on your tangs will have problems in that size tank.