Nitrate Problem

[Fireplug]

I been testing the nitrates for four weeks and been doing a 5 gallon water changes on my 30g tank. Nitrates are at 80 ppm. What is the cause? And a solution? I did add some dead coral a few weeks ago as decoration. Found them in the live rock tank at the LFS. Plans are to do a water change and test again after 1 and 2 days.......if it spikes again do a water change and remove the corals and test the water. Tank has crushed coral and one damsel and cleaner shrimp. Also hermits and ghost shrimp.

 

[little_fish]

I would say its the crushed coral releasing back the nutrients from the detrius that got trapped in there and rotted. That is exactly why crushed coral is a bad idea.

So i would keep up the water changes and remove that substrate.

 

[daugherty]

yea the crushed coral does not help at all. how much and often do you feed the tank. start with water changes i would do 10% everyday for at least a week.

 

[Fireplug]

I feed every day. I chip of a little of the frozen cube. The damsel is such a shy fish you have to back away for him to eat.

 

[Fireplug]

Getting rid of the crushed coral start a new cycle?

 

[little_fish]

if you get rid of a little bit of it at a time, you wont start a new cycle.

 

[daugherty]

feed every couple days

 

[Smitty]

I agree, it's probably the cc...like mentioned, siphon some out every time you do a wc, that way you won't get rid of all your bacteria too sudden and shock the tank with another cycle.