Nitrates...

[ReneM]

Mine are up this morning... but everything else is in the normal to ideal range.

Is it the new live rock I got about two weeks ago? What causes that? And do I need to do a water change? (I just did last week).

Thank you!
Rene

[phisher]

Certainly could be if the rock wasn't fully cured and still had some die-off, any source of decay from uneaten food, dead fish/inverts, or dead sponges/plants/etc from new live rock can eventually into nitrates.

Quickest way to get them down would be water changes, I would personally do a 15-20% water change every 3 days or so until it gets back in line unless you mean they are really high, then maybe a little more aggressive schedule.

[ReneM]

Nothing lately has died.... so maybe I'm overfeeding a little?

Started water changes.. thanks!

[Gerwin]

define "up"?

[Sandy]

define "up"?

up..... above water,, above ground level,,, the sky...

I really can't help it

[ReneM]

Between 80 and 120?

[Gerwin]

ok , I guess I need to have you give me shout via phone for some more background info.
Honestly I know so many people that names and faces do not often come together in my brain over the net and some I never even know they name
That being said for the learning of all who should read, it helps to keep your local LFS up to speed through the whole process, so there is some kind of time line of occurrences as not to become to much of a guessing game.
That is why I encourage people to bring water in weekly in the beginning and then monthly after the tank is established.
But if we had to guess,
Nitrates are the end product of nitrification so to get them you have to have decaying organic matter (plant or animal) so fish food , die off from live rock, algae die off, dead fish or invertebrate etc all could be the cause.
Water changes as needed will be the best correction. Reef tanks should not reach this level , fish only tanks this is acceptable.

[ReneM]

Water changed yesterday, this morning nitrates are down to 40... yay!

I think it might have been a combo thing... first, new live rock two weeks ago, then me getting my first shrimp (and overfeeding I think)... and general overfeeding (twice a day on fish)

I also cleaned out my filter... maybe that helped too...

So, I'm going to do one light feeding a day for a while, and give the shrimp just a tiny piece of frozen shrimp. I just worry that he won't find it, or it will get stolen! LOL

Gerwin thank you so much! I am testing every other day, just had been sick as a dog for four days and didn't.. then found this. Ugh! You did test my water though about three weeks ago. Had a small problem, corrected it with a water change too. I love how you treat your customers!

[Gerwin]

thank you for the praises,
you need to not worry about feeding the shrimp..they are scavengers, let them scavenge. I feed mine nothing and they live fine AND they always seem to get some food from the regular feeding anyways. ANd twice a day is not overfeeding its how much you feed each time. Feed 5 times if you fed slowly and small qtys. When they let one piece slip by..thats it..no more. Ok maybe 5 times is a little much but 2-3 times is ok if done CORRECTLY that is very dangerous to say when I am trying to keep folks tanks healthy but I do not want to be accused of not giving the correct info either. One time will work especially with lots of live rock providing sources of food all day.

And did I say stop feeding the shrimp

[ReneM]

Gotcha!

Might make my anemone perk up too if there's not shrimp pieces floatin around! He stays deflated so much... ugh!!! I love these things but all they do is worry me!