Need some advice

JeriL · 03/18/2015, 03:13 PM

I have a 6.5 gallon tank with live rock, live sand, two hitchhikers( 1 emerald crab and 1 blue legged crab) and a clownfish. I have a HOB filter with floss and charcoal in it. I rescued this set up and I changed the old sand for new live sand. I have been using the quick sticks for testing. My question is how can I bring the nitrates and nitrite down. If I have to I can remove the fish but would prefer not to. I would have to find him a new home. Any advice would be appreciated.

Reef Frog · 03/18/2015, 03:19 PM

Having detectable nitrites suggest the cycle isn't finished. If that's the case, it would be best to remove the fish and let the cycle complete itself. Nitrate can be reduced by water changes. Hate to tell you, but your tank is too small for a mature clown. How old is your set up and what soecies of clown?

pyithar · 03/18/2015, 07:48 PM

i'd find the fish a new home. 6.5G is too small for any clownfish IMO. quick sticks might be off, so get a new test kit or let your lfs test the water to be sure. nitrite will become zero when the tank is cycled. you can then do water changes to bring the nitrates down.

welcome to reef central!

Jeremiah_Conway · 03/18/2015, 09:54 PM

My favorite LFS doesn't sell test strips cause they've so unreliable
Test kit quality very important

HeavyWater247 · 03/18/2015, 11:19 PM

Well depends on how long the livesand/fish have been in the tank before/after you set the tank up. If the tank is still cycling, and you do a water change, you would definitely bring the nitrates down but then you also risk of possibly extending the cycle. If this is the case, you can either leave the fish in and hope they survive the cycle or as reef frog stated, take them out and wait for the cycle to finish.

hotelbravo · 03/19/2015, 12:37 AM

Definitely to small for a clownfish.

nmotz · 03/19/2015, 05:34 AM

I think a larger tank will be more enjoyable for you as well as your clownfish. You just can't do too much with a 6.5G unfortunately. If I had a tank that small I would probably only use it for soft corals and even then it's just so little room to be creative IMO. Whatever you do, make sure you allow the tank to cycle first. Fish shouldn't be exposed to nitrites. Good luck!

tzylak · 03/19/2015, 10:29 AM

Hi JeriL,
Your tag says that you registered in 2010 but your question is that of a newbie. Well, WELCOME to RC!!
Regarding your question, please consider reading the Stickies at the top of this forum. Please do this for the sake of the living creatures in your tank. They Stickies will answer your questions and ones that you have not asked yet.
Have fun!

03/18/2015, 03:13 PM	#1
JeriL Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Cambridge, WI 53523 Posts: 8	Need some advice I have a 6.5 gallon tank with live rock, live sand, two hitchhikers( 1 emerald crab and 1 blue legged crab) and a clownfish. I have a HOB filter with floss and charcoal in it. I rescued this set up and I changed the old sand for new live sand. I have been using the quick sticks for testing. My question is how can I bring the nitrates and nitrite down. If I have to I can remove the fish but would prefer not to. I would have to find him a new home. Any advice would be appreciated.

03/18/2015, 07:48 PM	#3
pyithar Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: yangon,burma(myanmar) Posts: 1,786	i'd find the fish a new home. 6.5G is too small for any clownfish IMO. quick sticks might be off, so get a new test kit or let your lfs test the water to be sure. nitrite will become zero when the tank is cycled. you can then do water changes to bring the nitrates down. welcome to reef central! __________________ take it easy, pyithar Current Tank Info: 150G display, 50G sump, mixed reef

03/19/2015, 12:37 AM	#6
hotelbravo Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2014 Posts: 2,175	Definitely to small for a clownfish. __________________ -Hodge Current Tank Info: 180 gallon, 40b sump. 3x OR T247 lighting, Reef Octopus protein skimmer, phosban 550 reactor, tunze ato, gyre xf 150, 2x mag 9.5 returns.

03/19/2015, 05:34 AM	#7
nmotz Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: FL, USA Posts: 1,433	I think a larger tank will be more enjoyable for you as well as your clownfish. You just can't do too much with a 6.5G unfortunately. If I had a tank that small I would probably only use it for soft corals and even then it's just so little room to be creative IMO. Whatever you do, make sure you allow the tank to cycle first. Fish shouldn't be exposed to nitrites. Good luck! __________________ Mantis shrimp are the best! Current Tank Info: 20L Peacock mantis shrimp tank

03/18/2015, 03:19 PM	#2
Reef Frog Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Maryland Posts: 3,121	Having detectable nitrites suggest the cycle isn't finished. If that's the case, it would be best to remove the fish and let the cycle complete itself. Nitrate can be reduced by water changes. Hate to tell you, but your tank is too small for a mature clown. How old is your set up and what soecies of clown?

03/18/2015, 09:54 PM	#4
Jeremiah_Conway Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 133	My favorite LFS doesn't sell test strips cause they've so unreliable Test kit quality very important

03/18/2015, 11:19 PM	#5
HeavyWater247 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 72	Well depends on how long the livesand/fish have been in the tank before/after you set the tank up. If the tank is still cycling, and you do a water change, you would definitely bring the nitrates down but then you also risk of possibly extending the cycle. If this is the case, you can either leave the fish in and hope they survive the cycle or as reef frog stated, take them out and wait for the cycle to finish.

03/19/2015, 10:29 AM	#8
tzylak Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Oceanside, CA Posts: 457	Hi JeriL, Your tag says that you registered in 2010 but your question is that of a newbie. Well, WELCOME to RC!! Regarding your question, please consider reading the Stickies at the top of this forum. Please do this for the sake of the living creatures in your tank. They Stickies will answer your questions and ones that you have not asked yet. Have fun!