HELP HIGH NITRATES

[ReneeC]

I did a 10% water change on saturday and my nitTRATES are very high.

Salinity 1.021
Ammonia 0
Nitrites 0
PH 8.1
Temp 78
nitRATES at about 30

Is this ok for a change that was made 3 days ago? If not how do i fix it? I have an anemone could these levels hurt it?

 

[DeLgAdO]

how bigs the tank?

 

[ReneeC]

55 gal.

 

[Miguel]

Heavy fish load? Heavy feeding routine?

 

[ReneeC]

I have 3 clown fish and 2 yellow tangs. Up until my water change everything was at 0. No I don't over feed the fish.

 

[Fish Finder]

Tell you what. Want to fix the prob one and for all. Add a bag of Purigen to your sump or canister filter. And in no time you will no longer have the prob and just change the bag once a month

 

[DreamCatcher1987]

I was having a problem with my nitrates and I have been using spaghetti algae. As long as you have good lighting, spaghetti algae will grow and it feeds on nitrates.

 

[sprayin70]

3 questions 1, are you using bio media ie fitler pad or bio balls etc. 2, How long has your tank been set up, cycled and 3 for fun please list all the components in your system inclluding live rock and sand.

 

[ReneeC]

1) I'm using a filter pad
2) Its been setup for about 2 and a half months and it cycled in 3 weeks
3) ok let's see...I have 40 lbs. crushed coral ( i learned later that that was a bad idea), 15 lbs lr, 2 yellow tangs, 2 clowns, 9 hermit crabs, 10 turbo snails.
I have a 55 gal with a prizm protein skimmer and a filter that came with the tank. My light is a coralife single strip w/130 watts.(getting a better light soon).

I figured out that my nitrates startes rising when my nem got sick. And I think he was sick from the light not having enough watts. I read that they need double what I had. My nem dies lastnight so now before getting anything else i'm need to stabilize my water and get a better stronger light and do lots more reading to make sure everything is right for my next one. Last time I took the lfs word when they said my light was good enough for my nem.

 

[Oddball]

If you're using a dechlorinator with a nitrate-reducing/eliminating additive, you could very well be reading a false test result. Additives in conditioners, such as Nitraban will cause a false reading on a chemical test kit.