fish keep dying lots of nitrate

I have a 60gallon tank with a wet dri filter. Sustrate is crushed coral and live sand. I have around 30 pounds of live rock also with a 10" snowflake eel, cleaner shrimp, 30 hermits, and a brittle star. They are all living together. I have bought 2 butterfly fishes that have both died. Also an angel fish which also died. I feed the fish one frozen brine cube a day and feed the eel frozen squid every 3 days or so. It appears that I have to change my water every week. A 50 PERCENT WATER CHANGE. I don't think this is normal. Why do I have to change the water so much? It is always toxic or about to be toxic every week . Do I need additional filtration. 3 things in the tank doesn't seem like much. Especially after all that I have read. Any help would be appreciated.

 

jasandjojosdad...

I think you might be overfeeding...1 "cube" of brine shrimp a day I'll bet leaves allot of loose food mater loose in tank, filters etc. --- I give my fish a little piece now and then, just because they seem to like eating them, while they do not have much nutritional value...but just little slivers of the cube now and then...1 cube may last a month...

Cut down on feeding, everybody...keep testing conditions & keep up water changes until you get everything in right parameters...

Sounds like you are tackling some tough species to manage in new tank...That eel may be cause of problems...w/other fish, just from amount of waste he is producing that does not sound like your system is coping with...

Just a thought...

OmarD

 

First of all welcome to 3reef.

Butterfly and Angel fish are not good starter or beginner fish.  Without a protein skimmer you are at the mercy of a build up of dissolved organic compounds (DOCs) which are not good for fish.  In addition, skimmers are a great source of dissolved oxygen.

Wet/dry filters can be real nitrate producers.  30 lbs of LR is half to a third of what you need for adequate biofiltration.   50% water changes are not a good sign.

What we need in order to give you more specific direction is a complete information on how long your tank has been up and running, what kind of circulation you have, and test results of all your water parameters including Specific Gravity and temperature.

Don't add any more fish as I'm sure you are aware, until we get you on the right track.

 

Great feedback! No wonder these guys are mods! ;D

I concur with all said.
One cube a day is a lot of shrimp.

Definitely need a good skimmer to help export waste.

Is this going to be a 'fish only' tank or a reef tank?

Welcome to 3reef!

 

i hope hes planning a fish only w/ the livestock hes purchasing

 

Thanks for all of the info everyone. I only have a shrimp, brittle star and snowflake eel. PH is 8.2, nitrate is 40ppm (and I did a 50% water change last saturday). Temp is between 76-78. The tank has been up around 6 mouths. I have only been feeding the eel every 3 days a few pieces of frozen squid now since I have no more fish. I don't have a skimmer. I guess it would be good to get one. Everytime I clean do a water change I do a gravel vac. I have never moved my rocks around so I think I will try that next time. If I have a couple of damsels what should I be feeding them and how much? Should I just let them eat what the eel doesn't. It floats around and the other fish use to tear it up. Thanks for all of the help all. This has been frustrating.

 

jasandjojosdad,

Sounds like a skimmer a "must" in your situation...(really a "must" in most situations - for those that want to nurture an environment such as ours - )

Lots of great help available here, but will much more effective if you can find time to post your tank/equipment specs on your posts...(just add in Sig Block)

Look thru 3Reef Skimmer forum for some ideas...

Good Luck

Rgds,

OmarD

 

There is one way to safely remove NITRATES and that do water changes.  
With your Nitrates that high you may want to do 1/3 the water volume every 3rd day till it comes down.
****What filter are you using?*****
How much LR  LS do you have?
Do you have a sump?
Refugium?
Bio Balls?

Needing all the test results on your tank....

 

60 gallon tank, Wet/dri filter with bio balls and sump, CAP 2200 Power head return, 35 pounds of live rock (will it help if I add more), PH=8.2, Nitrate is 40ppm (did a 50% last week :-( ) , crushed coral sustrate. IT seems that the only things that live are damsels. I have had some since I was cycling that tank . No matter how bad the water get's they still live. I guess I am going to have to invest in a skimmer. I was told by the LFS that I shouldnt' need one if I am not goign to have a coral reef. This thing has been kind of depressing. I am glad the eel, shrimp and brittle start have lived but it would be nice to be able to keep a fish or two.

 

The skimmer is primarily for fish as the create the majority of DOCs in the water column. Your LFS should have known that.

LR is an important part of the biofiltration, much better than bioballs. you want 60 - 90 lbs of fully CURED LR in a 60 gallon tank IMO.

Just a note. Cycling a tank with damsels is like putting them in a gas chamber without a gasmask. Not the most humane thing to do, eh?

Get your skimmer and 25 - 55 more lbs of LR. Slowly remove, about a third per week for three weeks, your bioballs as they may be contributing to your nitrates. Let your tank settle and then add fish very slowly. Only add damsels if you really want them.

Let us know what kind of tank you want and we can make suggestions.