blasted evil doer!! how do i lower nitrates?

[BeelzeBob]

pH: 8.3
Amonia: 0
Nitrite: <.05
Nitrate: 10!




the tank is 18 gal and 3 weeks old

has nothing in it.

i was hoping to make an addition this weekend....... but **** NO2!

any suggestions?

 

[Tab64]

3 weeks is not a long time your tank may not be cycled yet. Did it go through the Amon and Nitrite spikes? When it is cycled 10 is not bad however with nothing in the tank you should be able to lower it with water changes, unless your tank is not cycled yet. Are you going to be having a reef or fish tank?

 

[dorkfish]

10 is not even that bad for an established tank. However, I wouldn't add anything until you get rid of that nitrite reading.

 

[kjr928]

I'm sort of a beginner & I don't know that much about chemistry but isn't 10 for nitrates pretty low? I have trouble keeping my tank under 20 & no one's ever red-flagged that.

 

[Tab64]

10 is not bad most things would be able to live, except some very sinsitive corals. Fish can live in much higher nitrates than corals anything about 20 is not good for most corals. But 3 weeks is not long the tank can still spike, better be safe than sorry by adding something that would encrease the nitrates and the sand/liverock would not be able to remove it.

 

[BeelzeBob]

so everything spiked.

i have 20lbs live rock.... 20lbs dead sand

waited 4 days put in a 6moth old molly. rotated them every day so there would be no casualties.


used a cube of mysis too.

amonia peaked 9th day. (removed molly)

nitrite peaked 15th day.

algea bloom day 17 (2 mollies in)

things leveled out day 18

but nitrate was way up.

did water change added 3 snails and 2 hermits on day 20

mollies out on day 22

today is day 25 NO2 is 10.

can i get a my mantis shrimp and a zoa this weekend or should i just wait?

 

[dorkfish]

3 weeks is abit early to be adding corals of any type except for mushrooms; I'd wait atleast another month. I'm not completely sure but I think it might be a good idea to wait just as long before getting the mantis. Patience is key, you don't want to jump the gun and end up with problems, better to wait longer then you need to than not wait long enough. Just for what it's worth, I plan on waiting 3-4 months after setting up my 55 before I add the first few small fish (probably chromis).