Nitrates and when it is safe to add fish

[masja205]

Hey! I have finished cycling my saltwater tank where 2ppm ammonia drops to zero with nitrite reading of 0ppm after 24hours of adding ammonia.

My nitrates are sky rocket high 128ppm (using readers test kit). I did a 50% water change to reduce it down to 48ppm.

I want some advice on what I should do before adding my clownfish. Do I need to perform another water change to drop it down to a lower reading (if so what should that be?)

Ny display tank will be a Fowlr tank with dry rock and a sand bed and planning to add two clownfish (25 gallon)

 

[gbroadbridge]

Hey! I have finished cycling my saltwater tank where 2ppm ammonia drops to zero with nitrite reading of 0ppm after 24hours of adding ammonia.

My nitrates are sky rocket high 128ppm (using readers test kit). I did a 50% water change to reduce it down to 48ppm.

I want some advice on what I should do before adding my clownfish. Do I need to perform another water change to drop it down to a lower reading (if so what should that be?)

Ny display tank will be a Fowlr tank with dry rock and a sand bed and planning to add two clownfish (25 gallon)

That level of Nitrate is harmless to fish.

Many tanks run consistently above that level.

 

[Dan_P]

That level of Nitrate is harmless to fish.

Many tanks run consistently above that level.

Totally agree. When considering whether to do a water change, should we consider that many new aquarists struggle to bring down nitrate after starting their aquarium and maybe starting the new system with a lower nitrate level might ease this concern?

 

[Garf]

Hey! I have finished cycling my saltwater tank where 2ppm ammonia drops to zero with nitrite reading of 0ppm after 24hours of adding ammonia.

You must have done that repeatedly to get that high nitrate?

 

[gbroadbridge]

Totally agree. When considering whether to do a water change, should we consider that many new aquarists struggle to bring down nitrate after starting their aquarium and maybe starting the new system with a lower nitrate level might ease this concern?

I think it is perhaps best to simply mention that levels of 50-100 ppm NItrate are of no real concern in a newly cycled tank, and that given time as the biological filter becomes fully established, Nitrate levels will fall on their own.

Reducing Nitrate using too many water changes may result in a situation where the tank has very low Nitrate and perhaps encourage the establishment of harmful organisms like invasive Dinoflagellates in the tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I agree with Garf that one or two cycles of adding 2 ppm ammonia cannot have boosted nitrate nearly that much.

 

[masja205]

You must have done that repeatedly to get that high nitrate?

hey! yes it was a repeated to grow the nitrite-consuming bacteria, otherwise I wasn't sure how 2ppm of ammonia was going to be bought down to zero nitrite and ammonia over 24hrs

 

[Jasongtr]

As mentioned nitrates at 50ppm won't effect fish, but id prefer to start with lower amounts. But get a reading on your phosphate too, personally I've learned not to try a pin a number as you chase it and wind yourself up over it, I'm just about to drop some Dr tims in my little fluval today, once cycled I'll aim for 10ppm nitrate and 0.1 phosphate but won't be too concerned if it's a touch over, after all it's water changes that I'll be doing to control nutrients on this little tank

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

hey! yes it was a repeated to grow the nitrite-consuming bacteria, otherwise I wasn't sure how 2ppm of ammonia was going to be bought down to zero nitrite and ammonia over 24hrs

In the future, ignore the nitrite reductions and don't use so many ammonia dosing repetitions. Nitrite is not worth worrying about.

 

[masja205]

In the future, ignore the nitrite reductions and don't use so many ammonia dosing repetitions. Nitrite is not worth worrying about.

Thank you hope this helps others too

 

[masja205]

As mentioned nitrates at 50ppm won't effect fish, but id prefer to start with lower amounts. But get a reading on your phosphate too, personally I've learned not to try a pin a number as you chase it and wind yourself up over it, I'm just about to drop some Dr tims in my little fluval today, once cycled I'll aim for 10ppm nitrate and 0.1 phosphate but won't be too concerned if it's a touch over, after all it's water changes that I'll be doing to control nutrients on this little tank

Sweet I’ll try give that a go thanks

 

[amarti2038]

If you do a water change for Reducimg nitrates do it big, around 80% of water. This should not affect the cycle.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

If you do a water change for Reducimg nitrates do it big, around 80% of water. This should not affect the cycle.

Why do you recommend that?

 

[amarti2038]

With high Nitrates a 50% water change reduces to the half the Nitrates, an 80% reduces and 80%. Doing small/medium water changes will need much more water changes, salt and RO water to be so effective as a big one.

 

[JayM]

With high Nitrates a 50% water change reduces to the half the Nitrates, an 80% reduces and 80%.

No need to reduce nitrates in this instance.

 

[masja205]

cheers for the replies everyone! I have done a 90% water change and see that my nitrates are now measuring 6ppm from using the Red Sea Nitrate Pro test kit.

I will be moving my fish over to the (fish only) display tank soon

I have gone through soo much salt as part of this whole process!!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I have gone through soo much salt as part of this whole process!!

Best to use other methods than water changes, unless the tank is very small.

 

[masja205]

Best to use other methods than water changes, unless the tank is very small.

Thanks the tank is 25gal