Nitrate outbreak!!!

Need your help guys! I finally bought my TEST KITS a while ago (after three weeks!) API Brand, Kit tester (Ph, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate).

Out of excitement, I tested my water as soon as I got home.

My readings:
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
PH - 8.6
Nitrate - 40!
Other readings:
Salinity - 1.02
Temp - 30 degrees Celsius

Some observations. For the last days saw my foxface turning brownish and breathing heavily. I've been cycling for three weeks (using NSW), got my livestock on the second week (a few died that same week) ever since no more mortalities. Tank setup... 1 Queen Turbo skimmer, 1 overhead filter. Filter Media in Overhead filter (white sponge, bioballs and carbon)

A few questions tho...
1. Did my cycle finish already?
2 .Are my nitrates reading high?
3. What do i need to do to bring my Nitrates down?
4. Got my sump already, will it cause problems for me after installing it tomorrow? Plan to add DSB in the sump tomorrow too.

Thanks for all your help!

 

Turning brown and breathing heavily is usually a sign of stress. What other fish do you have in the tank? Is the Foxface eating well?

1.Your tank may not have finished cycling as yet
2.Yes they are too high
3.Do small water changes every other day (10%-20%) with NSW to bring it down
4.It shouldn't cause a problem if you install the sum tomorrow, ideally, all installations should have been done before adding fish. ( I learn the hard way lol)

Hope this helps

 

Turning brown and breathing heavily is usually a sign of stress. What other fish do you have in the tank? Is the Foxface eating well?

1.Your tank may not have finished cycling as yet
2.Yes they are too high
3.Do small water changes every other day (10%-20%) with NSW to bring it down
4.It shouldn't cause a problem if you install the sump tomorrow, ideally, all installations should have been done before adding fish. ( I learn the hard way lol)

Hope this helps

 

Thanks Sid! What do you mean by my tank has not cycled yet... kindly elaborate pls... The foxface is eating well... in fact to well... he's always hungry... I see him stressed usually when i turn on the lights (30watt 10,000k flourescent). Tho i think he's the only one reacting to it... I've got 5 african clowns, 1 powder brown tang, 1 small blue tang and 2 damsels. In terms of aggression, he's the most aggressive. Is it the lights tho?

Thanks!

 

WOW--How big is your tank???? That is alot of bio-load that early.You will have to do alot of water changes as siddique said. I would leave the lights off for awhile and really monitor all the readings. slow down on your feedings and get the rest of your filtration installed--do not add anything else for at least a month and then re-test

 

in ref. to the water changes. if your still cycling hold off on water changes till you cycle trough. water changes while cycling will only prolong this process. imo i would do 10% every 10 days or so and test daily since you have livestock. good luck

 

Usually, the cycling process takes at least one month until it's relatively mature to house fishes. Some more than others hence the reason why some of the other fish may have died the same week you introduced them.

The nitrogen cycle of a saltwater aquarium is a chain reaction in nature resulting in the birth of various types of nitrifying bacteria, each with their own job to do. Each new bacteria born consumes the the byproduct of the previous one, and in turn gives birth to the next bacteria.

Even though your ammonia and nitrites are at 0, your nitrate may still be high because your tank has not fully gone through it's nitrogen cycle. Which in turn can cause the fish to become stressed.

Your lights may be causing your Foxface to look that way. The Foxface Rabbitfish often turns to this brown color and he erects his venomous spines on the dorsal fin. This is his defensive mode to ward off predators. Do you have rocks w/ crevices for him to retreat? Since he's the most aggressive in the tank and he's eating properly, I wouldn't worry too much.

Hope this helps, If someone else can elaborate more, please do.
cheers

 

My tank is 75gallongs... im setting up my sump tank tomorrow... i'll follow your advice and turn off the lights first (how many days before i get them back on?). Do i have to do water changes every other day? Will adding macro algae in my sump swing my nitrates down? thanks!

 

I'm not 100% sure about the effects of the micro algae vs. Nitrates but it should help to bring it down. I'm sure however, that there are some sort of inverse effects of adding the macro algae.
I'd keep the lights off until the Foxface becomes less stressed more accustomed to the human interaction. Yes you should still do the water changes.

 

water is cycled when you get a reading of 0 in Ammonia and Nitrites right?