Hi, Currently my tank (a 72 bow front) reads 0 for Ammonia and Nitrite but the Nitrate is very high. The level is 80-160 ppm! I have tried water changes, I have cleaned the protien skimmer collection cup and have cleaned the bottom of the tank by taking out any wastes. I also have removed the algae on the bottom of the tank and on the glass. I was wondering if their were any fish besides damsels that would be ok if introduced into a tank that has a high nitrate level! Currently their are no fish in the tank! The fish I am mostly interested in are puffers and lionfish! Thank you!
What fish can survive with a high nitrate level(besides damsels)?
- Thread starter sbpbasme76
- Start date
Nitrate readings can be a funny thing. Do what OG suggested and test with a second kit. If your nitrates are really that high, then you should have had an algae explosion by now.
There are several things you can do to decrease nitrates. You are already skimming and performing water changes.
1. Try feeding the current fish less often. Cutting back on feeding should cut back on dissolved organics in the water.
2. Let your algae grow. Algaes cull organics from the water for their nutrition. The more you have, the less organics in your water, and the less your nitrates should become. (Yes, I know this is an "ugly" option)
3. Cut back on the current bioload. How big is the tank, and how many fish do you have in it? If you have overstocked the tank, your nitrates are going to be out of control no matter what you do.
4. You might try a deep sand bed in your tank. There is much debate as to how much sand is effective, but 4 to 6 inches is the rule of thumb. At the bottom of the sand, there will be almost no oxygen penetration. There, an anarobic bacteria capable of breaking down nitrates into carbon dioxide gas will grow, and help bring down your nitrates levels.
5. If you are currently running a filter, try removing the media. In SW, filter media become clogged quickley, and can actually raise nitrate levels in the tank by trapping organics.
I hope these ideas help you out some. Definately post the size of your tank and its inhabitants, though, as that will help us figure out how best to get your water parameters back to pristine!
Edit: I just realized that you posted already that don't have any fish in the tank. Scratch suggestions one and three...
There are several things you can do to decrease nitrates. You are already skimming and performing water changes.
1. Try feeding the current fish less often. Cutting back on feeding should cut back on dissolved organics in the water.
2. Let your algae grow. Algaes cull organics from the water for their nutrition. The more you have, the less organics in your water, and the less your nitrates should become. (Yes, I know this is an "ugly" option)
3. Cut back on the current bioload. How big is the tank, and how many fish do you have in it? If you have overstocked the tank, your nitrates are going to be out of control no matter what you do.
4. You might try a deep sand bed in your tank. There is much debate as to how much sand is effective, but 4 to 6 inches is the rule of thumb. At the bottom of the sand, there will be almost no oxygen penetration. There, an anarobic bacteria capable of breaking down nitrates into carbon dioxide gas will grow, and help bring down your nitrates levels.
5. If you are currently running a filter, try removing the media. In SW, filter media become clogged quickley, and can actually raise nitrate levels in the tank by trapping organics.
I hope these ideas help you out some. Definately post the size of your tank and its inhabitants, though, as that will help us figure out how best to get your water parameters back to pristine!
Edit: I just realized that you posted already that don't have any fish in the tank. Scratch suggestions one and three...
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Orion Girl and Kreblack: Thank You for the suggestions! kreblak, In my original post i stated both the size (72 Bowfront) and the inhabitants (none). It was occupied by a Porcupine Puffer at one point though! But for the past 3 months it has been empty!
EDITED: I DIDNT SEE YOUR EDIT Kreblack SORRY!
Thanks for the suggestions!
EDITED: I DIDNT SEE YOUR EDIT Kreblack SORRY!
Thanks for the suggestions!
Once again I'll be the voice that disagrees on the facts.
Contratary to all the literature a Nitrate reading of 80 - 160 is not going to kill very many fish. In fact I do not know of any.
Second I've seen many tanks that have no algae problems for years with nitrates that high.
Other than maybe cleaner shrimp, I've not seen nitrates at that level affect many animals we use in clean up crews.
You have to understand; this hobby is full of bad information that is passed on as Gospel. Where it comes from I do not know. Probably goes something like this.
" I had a fish die. Must be a reason- Ah! high nitrates. I tell people high nitrates killed my fish. Some one put it in a book. Since everyone who writes a book for this hobby just restates the same info in the books they read; it is now in all the books. Now it is Gospel"
Really pretty Sad commentary on our hobby and those who write the books.
I've got a tank that nitrates are rarely below 200. Did it on purpose, to see about nitrates; after reading what the Government said inverts could take. Tank is a 125. Has Blue Damsels, three stripe damsels( which spawn in it about every 3 weeks) domino Damsel, Yellow tangs, Flame Hawkfish, neon dottybacks, Splendid dottyback, 5 Clowns of different types, Sponges, anemones (over 18 months old). 2 leathers for the 2 years, Pistol Shrimp that bred, snails, crabs, pods, Mushrooms, a couple of octopus corals, and a Kenya Tree.
The anemones have not grown as good as those in other tanks, but have cloned.
Ray
Contratary to all the literature a Nitrate reading of 80 - 160 is not going to kill very many fish. In fact I do not know of any.
Second I've seen many tanks that have no algae problems for years with nitrates that high.
Other than maybe cleaner shrimp, I've not seen nitrates at that level affect many animals we use in clean up crews.
You have to understand; this hobby is full of bad information that is passed on as Gospel. Where it comes from I do not know. Probably goes something like this.
" I had a fish die. Must be a reason- Ah! high nitrates. I tell people high nitrates killed my fish. Some one put it in a book. Since everyone who writes a book for this hobby just restates the same info in the books they read; it is now in all the books. Now it is Gospel"
Really pretty Sad commentary on our hobby and those who write the books.
I've got a tank that nitrates are rarely below 200. Did it on purpose, to see about nitrates; after reading what the Government said inverts could take. Tank is a 125. Has Blue Damsels, three stripe damsels( which spawn in it about every 3 weeks) domino Damsel, Yellow tangs, Flame Hawkfish, neon dottybacks, Splendid dottyback, 5 Clowns of different types, Sponges, anemones (over 18 months old). 2 leathers for the 2 years, Pistol Shrimp that bred, snails, crabs, pods, Mushrooms, a couple of octopus corals, and a Kenya Tree.
The anemones have not grown as good as those in other tanks, but have cloned.
Ray
Hight Nitrates for fish would be the equivlent to use breathing smug in a big city. Is smug harmful to us .... yes but, there are people who live there whole life, but it doesn't kill them and to some it does get to them and they leave. Are high nitrate bad, YES. But fish live in it, some YES. Ray Have your tryed and angle fish? Low nitrates is more a quallity of live then a life or death situation.
Off the topic Ray how big is the shirmps over the hawk fish?
Go with what OG wrote get a nother test kit, if still high drastic time call for quick though (well maybe not)..
do a 50-75 water change using RO water drastic call and costly but will do the job. If your dont want to spend the money one RO, just filter your tap water with the tap water filter thing (sorry names are not coming to mind).
..gOOD lucK oN WHat WaY(s) YOu Go ANd HAve FUn...!
Off the topic Ray how big is the shirmps over the hawk fish?
Go with what OG wrote get a nother test kit, if still high drastic time call for quick though (well maybe not)..
do a 50-75 water change using RO water drastic call and costly but will do the job. If your dont want to spend the money one RO, just filter your tap water with the tap water filter thing (sorry names are not coming to mind)...gOOD lucK oN WHat WaY(s) YOu Go ANd HAve FUn...!
Thanks for the info and suggestions everyone! I'll definitley buy another test kit and try a larger water change! I jsut hate looking at and empty tank! Hopefully, It will be all set and ready for occupants soon!
You're not hung out to dry, Ray!
For years (with a crushed coral substrate) we couldn't get nitrates to even come close to the maximum on the color charts.
It was way over 200... How much? No idea, we couldn't even get a reading.
We fed so much, and had such large fish... even with a skimmer it made no difference. Water changes? Totally useless in a high-nitrate system. We couldn't even find a temporary reduction with large water changes.
I'm not sure that nitrates are harmful to fish, or in what way they would be. I'd be most interested to know, since we never had a problem, nor did any fish appear to suffer. In fact, the tank pictured on our picture slide viewer on the webpage is the one with the high nitrates. I believe Ron Shimek has stated that nitrates are harmless to fish, as well. Inverts, I'm not sure about. Our snails/crabs didn't seem affected.
Whatever the case may be, nitrates should not be a problem (meaning, there shouldn't be any high levels) in a tank with a DSB - a normally stocked tank, that is.
For years (with a crushed coral substrate) we couldn't get nitrates to even come close to the maximum on the color charts.
It was way over 200... How much? No idea, we couldn't even get a reading. We fed so much, and had such large fish... even with a skimmer it made no difference. Water changes? Totally useless in a high-nitrate system. We couldn't even find a temporary reduction with large water changes.
I'm not sure that nitrates are harmful to fish, or in what way they would be. I'd be most interested to know, since we never had a problem, nor did any fish appear to suffer. In fact, the tank pictured on our picture slide viewer on the webpage is the one with the high nitrates. I believe Ron Shimek has stated that nitrates are harmless to fish, as well. Inverts, I'm not sure about. Our snails/crabs didn't seem affected.
Whatever the case may be, nitrates should not be a problem (meaning, there shouldn't be any high levels) in a tank with a DSB - a normally stocked tank, that is.