how to keep all levels where they need to be

[mm16]

I have a 45 gallon tank, with live sand and close to 45 pounds of live rock. My ph as of today was 8.2, ammonia was 0 ppm, nitrite 0 ppm, nitrate 40. Last week I just started using ro water, I do water changes every other week of 10%. I was using tap water for everything with a water conditioner which now I have stopped. I have a total of 5 small fish (2 clowns, 2 demsels, and a small regal tank), and I can't get my nitrate down the last few weeks, and up until now it was always close to 0. I had a small yellow tang die a few weeks ago and it must have died during the day and by the time I got home the crabs had gotten to it, but everything else is doing fine. And I also had white on my live rock. I also have a protein skimmer and sump. My questions are am I doing enough to get the nitrate level down (I'm guessing I should do more water changes), and what are things needed to be done to keep all the levels where they are suppose to be?

Thanks
Mike

 

[Smitty]

Yep, more water changes will lower your nitrates.

 

[sen5241b]

TRY CHEATOMORPHIA WITH STRONG LIGHT in a fuge. That is what brought my trates from 10 down to zero.

 

[Djturna4thakidz]

What type of strong lighting?

 

[Marines_Wife]

Water changes will help considerably, also I would agree with the cheato. I dont have a fuge, so its just in my main tank but it is very helpful. Honestly I think with the RO water, cheato and maybe upping your water changes to once a week will help you out.

 

[ErinCahir]

How long has the tank been set up? If it's a FOWLR, having a nitrate reading of 40 is perfectly acceptable.

Also, you should rehome your tanG. He needs a bunch bigger tank than a 45, no matter how small he is.

 

[mm16]

The tank has been up for 7 months

 

[WannaRace]

For a 45 gallon, you're at maximum amount of space for fish, so heavy bio load means high nitrates. Not much you can do besides water changes unless you want to reduce the amount of fish.

 

[Northstar24]

There are several things you can do, but this basically comes down to nutrient import and export. When you import nutrients (through feeding fish food and them creating waste) faster than you export them (via water changes, algae scrubbing, protein skimming (to an extent), and or bio pellets) you'll find the left over nitrates in your tank.

Take a look at your stock list and how much you feed. If you cant (or don't want to) make changes to those two things, you need to adjust the other side of the equation.

Also, I agree with Erin, your tank is far too small for that tang

 

[sen5241b]

What type of strong lighting?

CPL is fine for fuges but my fuges with at least 5700K seem to do better.

 

[marcah]

I have a bulb just like this one for the fuge.. cheato reacts extremely well to it..
23-Watt (120W) R40 Daylight CFL Light Bulb-ES5R42350K at The Home Depot
in a clamp on fixture like this..
8.5 in. Incandescent Clamp Light-E-245 at The Home Depot