Help with Nitrates

I am having trouble getting my Nitrates down, and am turning to you guys. I recently had an anemone die, which pumped toxins into the tank and screwed everything all up. It also took a lot of the cleaning crew with it.
The parameters are:
Temp: 80F
Salinity: 1.0245
PH: 8.3
Ammonia: >.25
Nitrites: .25
Nitrates: 80ppm
These are following from a 10% water change performed 24 hours ago.
So, my question is: Is this still just residual from an anemone dieing? Could it be from lack of cleaner crew? Any other thoughts?

 

Honestly I would do a 50% water change. When something that major happens and screws up your water that bad then 10% more than likely ain't gonna cut it.

 

So this is something I'm just going to have to power through? How bad is it really when an anemone dies? Would getting another clean-up crew active again help, or at this point just make it worse?

 

are you using tap water? get some nitra sorb or something into a canister filetr and run it for a couple days. always test ya water before you put it in.

How old is this tank?

 

Tank is about 5 months old. We are using tap, until I get an RO/DI system. The parameters were fine and it was cycled good before the anemone. My nitrates had never gone over 20ppm until it died. Right after it died, it pegged everything on the test kit. After carbon dosing everything dropped, but I have still been battling the NO3.

 

Yup. Big water change. That will cut the nitrates (and other pollutents) down right quick.

 

Get a denitrator coil from Tangster, water change will get it down but they will be back. Or you can build one look in the DIY section.

 

I would never do that large of a water change. It will just stress out your tank even more. Sometimes, water changes can do more harm than good. If you must do them, make them small. In your case, however, putting more tap water into your tank is only going to cause you more problems in the long run. Have you ever tested your tap water for nitrates.

 

I would be really concerned about the ammonia level. It a sign that there is more to it than just high nitrates.

I assume this is in your 40G. How much LR and what skimmer and filter are you using

J

 

Good point J. I didn't notice that the tank was reading ammonia (and nitrites) as well as nitrates.