Nitrates High In 2 Week Old Tank!

[ProHaloSniper]

I just set up my Nano...30 gallons...with Blue Hermits and an Emerald Crab. Some of the hermits died and I got my levels checked. The LFS owner said everything was off the chart. I quickly did a 60% water change and bought my own NEW API Test Kit. I just tested and everything but the NitrAtes are down. My pH is 8.0.. a little low in my book. Ammo is 0. Nitrites are .25. Nitrates are at between 20 and 30.

Is this good or bad? Im kinda new to this so any help is welcome and appreciated! Secondly...is my tank close to being ready for fish?

Lemme know ASAP

--Jim C.

 

[kkyyllee]

ur tank is cycleing, take back the hermits and crab u have left before they die also, do you have liverock? how much?

 

[n3ont3tra]

Did you put live rock in there? If you did... it seems like it was uncured, which is why your levels were high. You shouldn't have added the hermits or emerald crab. IF you can, bring them back to the store; they might die from the cycle. When ammonia and nitrites are zero, and nitrates are less than twenty, you can add more crabs and snails, then a few days later, fish.

 

[ProHaloSniper]

Indeed,

I have approx 20 lbs of live TUFA BASE ROCK I bought on eBay...It was 0.99c a pound and I couldn't pass it up. I will see what I can do about the crab, but he seems to be doing fine. Eating every time I feed and such.

(2) questions

What EXACTLY are Nitrates. Are they good or bad? I just know its produced from broken down ammo and nitrites.

Will a water change cure my problem? If so, when will I know I am safe to add fish? Starting with some clowns. And is it safe to add new live rock without raising any levels?

Thanks guys!

--Jim C.

PS: The guy says its cured live rock...http/cgi.ebay.com/LIVE-TUFA-BASE-ROCK-BIOROCK-REFUGIUM-SALTWATER_W0QQitemZ250142062947QQihZ015QQcategoryZ3212QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Have a look see

 

[AndyS]

The hermits should be alright, theyre pretty hardy.

Make sure you add all your live rock before adding any live stock, even cured live rock will have some dieoff from the store to your home unless kept in water and could possibly start a mini-cycle, which it looks like your coming out of. Do the largest water change you can do, making sure the water you replace is the same SG and temp as the new water. This will lower your levels. Id say anything from 50% to 100%.

In future check your levels before adding livestock, and dont rush things. Dont add your fish until ammonia and nitrite are 0, and nitrates are as low as you can get them. Different animals react differently, for example, 20ppm nitrates will probably kill a shrimp over a period of time, but a hermit crab would probably be able to cope. Best keeping them as close to 0 as possible.

Andy

 

[ProHaloSniper]

Alright, thanks for the stellar info AndyS. I will definitely do my 60% water change today and retest later on this evening.

I just thought of another question.

Would dead animals, that I can't see, be responsible for high Nitrates? Also, would too much food raise any of them as well?

Once again, thanks guys!

--Jim C.

 

[norite]

What water is your source? RO or tap water? High nitrates in a 2 week old tank is unusual. If I were you, I'd test your water source for nitrates.

Don't even start thinking about adding fish unit your tank has fully cycled - where you have one week of consistently 0 ppm nitrites and 0 ppm ammonia. Don't rush things!!!!! Relax, sit back and let the tank cycle in its own time.

 

[kkyyllee]

dead things will produce amonia starting more cycles