High Nitrites and Nitrates

[jar05g]

Hello all. I am new to the fish keeping hobby. I decided to set up a 29 gallon saltwater tank. I guess like all beginners I rushed things and was anxious to get some pretty fish in my tank. In the process, I didn't let my tank cycle properly. As of now, I have two damsels and one yellow tang along with 2 hermit crabs and a cleaner shrimp. ph, Ammonia, and SG are perfect, but nitrites and nitrates are high, a little less than .25 for nitrites and 10-15 for nitrates. I've been working with my LFS to get my parameters back to normal and they tell me to just let my tank sit for about three weeks without adding anything. I do have liverock in there now. Should I do what they say, or should I try a water change (which I've already done before, and it didn't help). My LFS said a water change would just set me back and it would take longer. Any suggestions?

[dsn112]

Not really sure what to do, do you have any filtration or skimmer?

Also damsels are agressive in a small tank, and The tang needs a 55g or larger. I wouldnt put a tang in anything less than 75g long, they need room to swim. If your LFS knew what size tank you have the should have never sold you that tang, but that is why LFS's are typically bad.

[m1enbo1]

take out the fish and let it finish it's cycle. if ammonia is "perfect" then it should be undetectable. if it is detected then you still have a while before your cycle is over.

[Lotus99]

Nitrites aren't poisonous to saltwater fish, and the nitrates are at reasonable levels. Water changes will help bring those levels down, assuming the water you're putting in has lower nitrites and nitrates.

I agree, you should try to take the tang back to the store, a 29g tank is way too small for it.

[Kevin64]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11109703#post11109703 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lotus99
Nitrites aren't poisonous to saltwater fish, and the nitrates are at reasonable levels. Water changes will help bring those levels down, assuming the water you're putting in has lower nitrites and nitrates.

I agree, you should try to take the tang back to the store, a 29g tank is way too small for it.

Agreed. I would let the tank finish cycling. I had a 29 to start and did weekly water changes anyway and it still took 3 months to finish. A 29 is to small for a tang, but I have a yellow tang in my 55 and he seems happy. I rescued him from a Petco. I've heard bad things about Petco and felt sorry for him. So when he gets to big for the 55 I'll be trading him to another LFS for something else. Although I used to work in a wholesale fish store and a firm believer that the fish will grow to the size of the tank but that was freshwater. I've seen yellow tangs in a 30 gallon cubes and seemed to be happy. Other tangs I'm not so sure about.

[jar05g]

My ammonia is zero. I have the API master test kit for saltwater and the ammonia test shows zero. So you think a water change is best? For a 30 gallon tank, how much should I change?

[Kevin64]

I'd do a 5% water change if it has been a month since you set up or since your last water change. Like Lotus99 said, your nitrates are not all that high but may go higher as the cycling process continues. Water changes can control that to a point. I think within the next week or two your trites will come down. I wouldn't add anymore live stock until you have at least 3 months of cycling since setup that have passed. I think you will find that you will always be battling nitrates whatever you do. I know I am.

[jar05g]

So really it wouldn't matter if I do a water change or not....if I just let my tank sit for about 3 weeks then my nitrites should come down. I do have a hospital tank, but it was set up about a week and a half ago. I added 3 gallons of water from my LFS reef tank, and the last two I mixed myself. The last time I tested my water in that tank, ammonia was undetectable, nitrites were high and nitrates were normal...so I'm assuming it was cycling and hopefully near it's end.

[jar05g]

To add on to what I already wrote. I'm getting a new filter on Tuesday..it'll be an Emperor 280...I also DO NOT have a protein skimmer....

[krowleey]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11109703#post11109703 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Lotus99
Nitrites aren't poisonous to saltwater fish, and the nitrates are at reasonable levels. Water changes will help bring those levels down, assuming the water you're putting in has lower nitrites and nitrates.

I agree, you should try to take the tang back to the store, a 29g tank is way too small for it.


nitrites are not poisonous to sw fish??

[t-bone2]

.

[t-bone2]

a little turbostart will help speed the cycling process

[jar05g]

What is turbostart?

[t-bone2]

live bacteria ive use it on several occasions and worked great it has to stay refregerated and it smells like sewage but it will take care of the nitrates naturaly