Nitrate Spike HELP

PhilOlsen · 11-27-2006, 09:58 PM

I have a 55 with about 100 LBS live rock, 60 Lbs live sand, a Fluval 404, Super Skimmer, 11 watt UV and 2 Maxi Jet 1200's. Livesstock is a Huma Huma Trigger, a Yellow Tang, A Stripped Damsel and a Yellow Tail Damsel and up until today a Kole Tang.
I found my Kole dead today and went out and bought a test kit to test my water, prior I just brought it in and have been told a recently as 6 days ago all was good.
The results are Nitrite - o Ammonia - .25 Salinity .024, temp 79.8, but Nirtate is 100, is this caused by the Kole laying in the tank dead for up to 24 hours or do you think it is what killed it? It is difficult to tell if it was attacked because a couple of the crabs were eating it when I found it.
I do 20% water changes weekly with RO/DI water I buy mixed from my local fish store.
The Huma and Tangs are no bigger then 3" each and I am planning on getting a larger tank once they grow a bit.
Any help would be appreciated.

dobejazz · 11-27-2006, 10:04 PM

Sorry for your loss

ChrisPrusha · 11-27-2006, 10:07 PM

How long had you had the kole tang? How long has your tank been set up?

Btw, welcome aboad, Phil!! w0000000000000000000t!!

Finally, i am sorry for your loss.

PhilOlsen · 11-27-2006, 10:10 PM

The tank has been running for about 18 months and the Kole was there for about 2 1/2 months, it appeared healthy and ate well. I feed a mix of Mysis shrimp and squid as well as dried seaweed daily.

ChrisPrusha · 11-27-2006, 10:13 PM

So it went from looking good to passing away in the span of a day?

It's hard to pinpoint what could have done this, imo. You haven't added any LR lately, have you? Test the ammonia again if you could...it should be zero.

How does everyone else look in the tank? Eating and breathing normally?

PhilOlsen · 11-27-2006, 10:23 PM

I transfered a couple pieces of rock from another of my tanks over the weekend but it is not new rock and has been in one of my tanks for at least 10 weeks, all the others look good, I noticed the Kole when I went to feed them tonight I removed the Kole and then fed the rest, they all ate like normal and breathing appears fine. The second ammonia test is between 0-.25 but closer to 0, it is not quite as yellow as the test card.

ChrisPrusha · 11-27-2006, 10:33 PM

I wish I could help more, but I'm not sure you will ever know the answer.

There's no chance of stray voltage, is there? Based on your posts, I wouldn't think this would be an issue, but I just thought I would ask anyway.

Do you have a water change planned soon?

PhilOlsen · 11-27-2006, 10:35 PM

No, voltage is not a issue, the next water change will be done Friday or Saturday. Thanks for the help.

dobejazz · 11-27-2006, 11:28 PM

with nitrates that high I would plan a large waterchange

Geoff · 11-27-2006, 11:40 PM

your fluval is prolly the cause of your high nitrates i would take that off of the system. running it for an hour after a water change is fine to clean up any floating detritus stirred up during the water change, but it should be removed immediately after that and cleaned for its use next week.

a large WC is prolly in your future to bring your nitrates back under control. i am not sure that this is what killed the tang, but it sure is a parameter that is out of the norm. some fish are more tolerant to nitrates. i thought triggers were more sensitive than tangs, but i could very well be wrong on this.

i would definately get those nitrates under control though. a value of less than 20ppm is fine.

G~

PhilOlsen · 11-28-2006, 07:05 AM

Thanks, I will do a 15 gallom change today or tomorrow, I only haave enough jugs to get 15 gallons, I will also do another over the weekend. As for the Fluval, I removed all the media and it only runs for current would that still be a factor?

jenajet · 11-28-2006, 07:10 AM

Welcome to TRT! Agree alot of the nitrate is probably from the fluval. How often do you feed your fish?

dobejazz · 11-28-2006, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhilOlsen

Thanks, I will do a 15 gallom change today or tomorrow, I only haave enough jugs to get 15 gallons, I will also do another over the weekend. As for the Fluval, I removed all the media and it only runs for current would that still be a factor?

As long as the media is out you should be ok.

PhilOlsen · 11-28-2006, 07:34 PM

I have not had media in the Fluval for almost 6 weeks, all the media including the sponge was removed once I had enough live rock to take over, as for feeding once a day, three frozen cubes with a mix of mysis shrimp and clams and a 2 x 2 piece of seaweed alternating with red and green. I do not think there is any of the frozen left and I know all the seaweed gets eaten within a few minutes.

LISound · 11-28-2006, 08:28 PM

I think its due to tank size..stress.
And I'm not part of the tang police either.
With 100lbs of live rock and 60lbs of sand in a 55...that's tight.
Even at 3", it's tough to say.
Sorry about the fish, they are pretty cool.