nitrate prob and brown sand

[jesse]

So I've had high nitrate problems for the past 2 weeks. I've been doing water changes and have tested a lot. I also bought algone nitrate remover for it but it doesn't seem to lower it. Just recently my sand has been getting really brown and my glass has a lot of green spots. I got 4 turbo snails but I thing that's not enough. What's the problem here. Everything else is at 0 but my nitrate just won't go down.,

 

[little_fish]

What are you feeding? How many fish do you have? How often are you feeding? Are you using tap water? How much of a water change are you doing?

 

[wontonflip]

+1 fish....more details needed. NItrates removers are no use if you don't know what's causing them to begin with. Check to make sure, too, that the new water you're putting in doesn't have nitrates. When I first started, my nitrates stayed at like 120+ppm...turns out my tap had nitrates :)

 

[Jr.Ramirez]

+1 little_fish

 

[jesse]

Oh sorry. I get the water from a lfs and I checked it and its good. I do weekly water changes 10-20 %. I have 1 clown fish not so big. Feed it like every 2- 3 days flakes mostly. Every once in a while mysis shrimp but I stopped that.

 

[wontonflip]

You know flakes tend to be high in phosphates....try switching to frozen and see if thath helps.

 

[Bifferwine]

How deep is your sand bed? And are you using sand or crushed coral?

 

[jesse]

I'm using really fine sand. It's about I want to say 2 inches. The only thing I have that's frozen is mysis shrimp. Should I use that instead?

 

[little_fish]

Yes, but mysid shrimp has a high amount of phosphate for a frozen food. I would find a mixed frozen food, much healthier because of the variety and easier on the water quality.

 

[jesse]

So right now I should. Just see if it goes down with water changes.

Quick question about hermit crabs. Should I put empty shells in my tank or not

 

[little_fish]

Yes for both questions

 

[Jr.Ramirez]

If it looks like they are fighting, I would put some bigger shells in.