Nitrate help

[Keelynnsreef]

I picked up a 185 gal used tank with water,rock sand, fish. Last week. I was in a hurry to get the fish back in the tank so they were not stressed out due to the move. And I forgot to check the water quality, I after several days I got my new test kits in and I checked the water quality the nitrates and nitrites are high. Nitrites were qt 5.0 and the integrates were at 80. I did a 50% water change and I got the rites down to 1.0ppm and rates down to about 7-10 ppm so my questions are as follows? I also have a sump with skimmer in it with rock, if I added sand and cheato will that help bring it down more? How long should I wait to do another water change. It's a lot of water. Not to mention the work... On the next water change how much water should I change. This is taking a lot of salt to do the changes. Or should I just take all the fish out and change it 100%.
There is a 5 inch naso tang,6 inch dog face puffer, 18 inch eal, 3 inch chromis, 3 inch damsel. (2).

What are your thoughts?

[Andresm]

i do water changes weekly..

[allan]

I've done a number of quick builds over the last four years. The key is to keep the rock always wet and in a moving environment. Reduces the loss of life which will cause a cycle.

I'd keep doing smaller water changes twice a week until you've got it under control. The macro will help with the nitrates. So I would definitely get a nice big amount in your fuge.


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[ramsey]

You might want to get some live bacteria as well. I've used bio spira and it's worked well. There's other makers as well. Nitrates you can take care of with water changes. Nitrites are more of a concern.

[Keelynnsreef]

Due to the tank beeping set up for over a year at his house I assume or thought it would be ok that's why I told him I wanted the water that was in his tank along with the sand, and live rock. Was I wrong?

[allan]

The water itself is less of a thing than keeping the rock fully alive. That's your meat and potatoes. The water is more of an aperitif. Post meal version.

The sand, once disturbed, IMO, should be thoroughly rinsed before reintroducing into the new set up.

I'm thinking you probably transported the tank with the sand bed unmolested, however just moving rock around in an established tank can cause a little cycle. Much less moving across town.




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[OrionN]

I would not have use the water since it is a high fish load, large fish and with likely very high nitrates as you find out. Most of the new cycle is due to the sand creasture and distrubance IMO.
When I move tank with sand, I always wash the sand as much as I can (using tank water, not fresh water) and get most of the sediment out of it. You will loose some animals living in the sand, but that is a small price to pay for getting the detrius out of the sand. I alway vacumm part of the sand bed when I do water change.