Hi - Newbie here. Have a 6 gallon tank with 3 fish (2 clowns and another doby), 2 hermit crabs, 2 turbo snails, a coral and a clam. Other than when the tank was being established and there was no livestock in the aquarium, I have a hard time keeping nitrate levels to zero. All other readings are fine (nitrite = 0, ammonia = 0, ph = 8.4). Nitrates currently at 5 , or 10 - and this is after a 25% partial water change! How exactly does one maintain nitrates at zero?!?!?
Nitrate levels
- Thread starter kokid
- Start date
How much are you feeding? That's actually a moderately high fish load for such a small tank, particularly if it's only been set up recently and you're being generous with your feeding.
Other questions - how much live rock do you have? Do you have a protein skimmer (I'm guessing not, with a tank that small)? How often have you been changing water up until the latest one that took your nitrates down to 5-10ppm?
Other questions - how much live rock do you have? Do you have a protein skimmer (I'm guessing not, with a tank that small)? How often have you been changing water up until the latest one that took your nitrates down to 5-10ppm?
My LFS was telling me that bioload is nothing as long as I do weekly tank changes. I had a sneaking suspicion they were just trying to make money off of me. Man. Um... Tank is only 2 weeks old. It was established for 1 week.... Prior to any fish, corals, clams,.... the readings were all zero. A week later, after a 25% water change, nitrates @ 5-10ppm.
I also have a surface skimmer (kinda looks like a comb) which attaches to the filter "intake grill" via suction. Is this the same as a protein skimmer?
I do have 3 decently sized live rocks. Just curious - what difference does live rock make?
So other than partial water changes, no other way to reduce nitrates? Thanks guys!
I also have a surface skimmer (kinda looks like a comb) which attaches to the filter "intake grill" via suction. Is this the same as a protein skimmer?
I do have 3 decently sized live rocks. Just curious - what difference does live rock make?
So other than partial water changes, no other way to reduce nitrates? Thanks guys!
Sorry - feedings:
fish: every other day. and hard to say how much.... about 1/20th of a teaspoon of frozen food which looks like chocolate chunks. I feed enough so that they finish 90% of the chunky food within 3 mins.
coral/clam: daily. 30 drops of liquid plankton.
fish: every other day. and hard to say how much.... about 1/20th of a teaspoon of frozen food which looks like chocolate chunks. I feed enough so that they finish 90% of the chunky food within 3 mins.
coral/clam: daily. 30 drops of liquid plankton.
kokid":2pjf4dmm said:
A tank does not 'cycle' or be ready for any large bioload in a week. The necessary bacteria in live rock won't be established overnight. I suggest you start reading more about how things work in a reef tank, that way you can begin to understand the processes. On this website there is ton of great info, here's good places to start learning:
http://www.reefs.org/library/newbieguide.html
topic7679.html
Also, Google is a great tool in this hobby for info and here's a direct link to webweb media, another great site.
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/index.htm
Under the "general" tab on this page is some fab info:
http://www.wetwebmedia.com/marine/setup ... index1.htm
No, a protein skimmer is a piece of equipment that uses air forced into the tank water to help export the bad stuff that accumulates in the tank. See the links I posted.
See the articles I posted, there is a discussion as to how rocks work in our tanks. Briefly, there is bacteria in the rocks that use the waste products from fish, etc as food. When they consume the waste, they break it down into other things. The rock is where this bacteria is located, and having good rock makes a huge difference.
Plenty of other ways, but your tank is already overstocked, overfed (I read your other post) and not yet cycled all of which cause nitrate problems. First thing to do is get to reading the info I posted and get yourself some beginner's books so you don't need to depend on your LFS for info. You have far too much stuff for a tank that small, and you'll need to rethink things before the tank crashes on you. Sorry to seem harsh, but if you want to be successful in this hobby a little knowledge goes a long way. That's why these forums are IMO very important to the hobby as a whole.
So, get to reading, and post back here your questions
and we'll help you along.Wow!!! Corals, clams, you sure have a lot going on in there. Lawdawg has given you loads to read that will make you a better hobbyist and certainly a better customer. Don't neglect reading those links they will save you lots of headaches and loads of money, not to mention that you'll be able to provid a better environment for your pets. Good luck and any questions we'll be here
Wow. Tank only two weeks old and you already have that sort of bioload! I think you're right, the LFS wanted to make some money. But you've done the right thing, coming here to ask for advice. In addition to what others have said, I would advise you to keep testing religiously for the next few months. If you get a sudden nitrate spike, you will find it impacts quickly on your livestock. Ditto water changes - keep them regular as they're going to be a major tool in keeping your levels low.
One more thing. I'd lay off the liquid plankton. In a tank that small, with a bioload that high, you won't need extra food for the clam (it will feed off the nitrates, but only if they're at low enough a level not to damage it).
OK, it was two more things. What lighting do you have for the tank? If it's too weak, you won't be able to keep the clam long-term. Also, what are the corals you have? Their needs will also have to be taken into account.
Don't worry. This is a traumatic start to your time with this hobby, but it just means that you're having to learn a lot of lessons quickly rather than slowly.
One more thing. I'd lay off the liquid plankton. In a tank that small, with a bioload that high, you won't need extra food for the clam (it will feed off the nitrates, but only if they're at low enough a level not to damage it).
OK, it was two more things. What lighting do you have for the tank? If it's too weak, you won't be able to keep the clam long-term. Also, what are the corals you have? Their needs will also have to be taken into account.
Don't worry. This is a traumatic start to your time with this hobby, but it just means that you're having to learn a lot of lessons quickly rather than slowly.
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